Focus: Philippians 4:3 - KJV
3. And I intreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which laboured with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellowlabourers, whose names are in the book of life.
Philemon 1:17-22
When believers come together, even though they are to individually put their gifts to use, the collectivity of the gifts are meant to be utilized together for the purpose of the Church, without one antagonizing the other. It is like the parts of the human body as they function together for the full operation of the whole. When we do operate together like that, it is like the yoke placed on oxen for them to work together for the same purpose. Hence, we are referred to as yoke fellows. It can therefore not be right that a yokefellow be burdened and the other cares not for him. Eventually, the burden is spread whether we like it or not. Hence, we are meant to cater one for another to ease the burden of one another at every point of need. That is how we fulfil our part in the body of Christ.
Onesimus was a slave to Philemon and he became born again under Paul’s ministration. As a bondman, he ought to be treated harshly by his master for having escaped from servitude. Nonetheless, by his becoming a part of the body of Christ to which Philemon himself belonged, Paul issued instruction as to how he ought to be treated going forward: no longer as a slave but as a brother in Christ Jesus. So, as far as the Christian body is concerned, we are one fold, with one shepherd. All is free by the grace of God, and therefore, no one ought to be allowed to be burdened particularly when others can help his situation, no matter what the status of the same had been, hitherto.
The Lord is saying to us today that we should be our brothers’ keepers in the right context of that expression. We are brethren in Christ Jesus and ought to have one another’s back. When it appears that the world is harsh towards one, others should succor him to alleviate the effect of the doings of the world. It cannot be right that in the Church of God when we work, some for being in the urban centers get so favored over those workers in the rural areas to the extent that the disparity shows so glaringly. There ought to be a balance to ensure co-laborers do not suffer under the yoke. When that happens, the yoke will eventually drag the other seeming affluent worker down, eventually. Let it therefore, not be mentioned among us that we neglect yokefellows, no matter the situation.
SOLUTION: Look out for the wellbeing of other members of the body particularly those burdened by the pressures of the world. They must be our priority in doing good as burden must not be allowed to draw them back to bondage in darkness.
Please pray:
· Give thanks to God for counting you worthy of being part of His body and a workman thereat for that matter
· Seek the face of God for mercy for having neglected members of the household of faith who were in need, in times past
· Pray that God will give you abundance that you may be able to cater for some others
· Pray God to breathe on the entire body so that the needy will become negligible in the body
· Ask for your daily bread today
If you are blessed by this post, kindly share with your contacts, as well as others, that they may be blessed also. Thank you and may God bless you abundantly as you do so, in Jesus’ name.
Comments