In two of our meditations thus far this week, we have tracked the journey of a criminal slave, Onesimus, from his master’s house in Colossae to Rome. He had stolen from Philemon and faced severe punishment for so doing. Little did he know that, in his desire to hide from detection in Rome, there was NO HIDING PLACE. God brought him into contact with Paul, who seized the opportunity to preach the gospel to him. He trusted Jesus Christ as his Saviour from sin and judgement. He was a changed man; therefore, his next step was to return and face his wronged master. He was greatly helped in this task by taking with him a letter from Paul, who was friendly with Philemon. To his amazement he discovered that Paul not only spoke warmly about him, but he was also willing to repay himself what he had stolen, verse 18. No doubt, Paul remembered that Jesus Christ had paid a great debt to God that he could not pay by his death for his sins on the cross; therefore, he felt compelled to do the same for Onesimus. God is always willing to restore the repentant sinner; therefore, Christians must be prepared to do the same.

Onesimus, who had learned the hard way that there is NO HIDING PLACE from God, had discovered that the only SAFE HIDING PLACE from sin and Satan’s power was to be found in Jesus Christ. In 1763 Augustus Toplady wrote the following words as he sheltered from a storm in a gorge:

Rock of Ages, cleft for me, let me hide myself in Thee;

Let the water and the blood, from Thy riven side which flowed,

Be of sin the double cure, save me from its guilt and power.

Are you safe in Christ? Please read more yourself. We will gladly send you a Bible and other helpful literature. We will pray for you. Come back again for another Message of Hope.