A prayer to change hearts

Albert Bogle September 11, 2025 2 2

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Philemon 1: 1-21 (NIVUK)

1 Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother,

To Philemon our dear friend and fellow worker – 2 also to Apphia our sister and Archippus our fellow soldier – and to the church that meets in your home:

3 Grace and peace to you[ from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

4 I always thank my God as I remember you in my prayers, 5 because I hear about your love for all his holy people and your faith in the Lord Jesus. 6 I pray that your partnership with us in the faith may be effective in deepening your understanding of every good thing we share for the sake of Christ. 7 Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the Lord’s people.

8 Therefore, although in Christ I could be bold and order you to do what you ought to do, 9 yet I prefer to appeal to you on the basis of love. It is as none other than Paul – an old man and now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus – 10 that I appeal to you for my son Onesimus,[b] who became my son while I was in chains. 11 Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me.

12 I am sending him – who is my very heart – back to you. 13 I would have liked to keep him with me so that he could take your place in helping me while I am in chains for the gospel. 14 But I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that any favour you do would not seem forced but would be voluntary. 15 Perhaps the reason he was separated from you for a little while was that you might have him back for ever – 16 no longer as a slave, but better than a slave, as a dear brother. He is very dear to me but even dearer to you, both as a fellow man and as a brother in the Lord.

17 So if you consider me a partner, welcome him as you would welcome me. 18 If he has done you any wrong or owes you anything, charge it to me. 19 I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand. I will pay it back – not to mention that you owe me your very self. 20 I do wish, brother, that I may have some benefit from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in Christ. 21 Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I ask.

Father God,
Paul was a bold one wasn’t he?
Not only trying to do the right thing
But urging others to do the same.
He was a peace planter.
It takes courage to be a peace motivator
It takes strength to be a peacemaker

Father God,
Give me the resilience to know when to strive for peace
Among family, among, my friends, and in my church
Let me plant a seed of peace that will grow into a tree of Hope

Lord Jesus,
Prince of peace, Son of the Father
Philemon could have been stroppy
Told his friend to mind his own business
But he listened to your voice 
The voice of second chances
Gave Onesimus — ‘the useless one’ a second chance
And years later he became Bishop of Ephesus

Lord Jesus 
Prince of Peace Son of the Father
Give to each of us the grace to listen to others
The grace to turn retribution into reconciliation
Let us plant seeds of grace that will grow into trees of forgiveness

Holy Spirit 
Source of all truth, sustainer of all life
It was You at work in the heart of Onesimus 
Turning his runaway, hideaway life into the Light
Changing his heart, giving him a new identity in Christ.
It was You again at work in the hearts of Paul and Philemon
Changing their hearts from fear to faith

Holy Spirit
Source of all truth, sustainer of all life
Change my heart, change our hearts, like you did with these men
Give to all who own the name of Christ a vision of unity and trust
Turn our hearts to each other in love and faithfulness
Let us plant seeds of love that will grow into trees of faithfulness and mercy