I think I first read the book of Philemon because I wanted to read an entire book of the Bible in one sitting and, well, it’s really short.  It’s a letter from Paul the apostle to his friend Philemon, urging him not to punish a particular slave who had run away (this was 2,000 years ago remember).  It’s a great little book for all kinds of reasons, but there’s one phrase in there which has always stood out for me.  As Paul addresses Philemon he says this: “your love has given me great joy because you have refreshed the hearts of the Lord’s people”.  Wow!  Have you ever had a conversation with someone and come away knowing that something deep has happened – you haven’t just been cheered up, your very heart has been refreshed?  Have you ever ached because that’s exactly what you needed and then someone came along with a kind word at exactly the right time?  I love the fact that this is something we all have the power to do for one another…

So I’d like to encourage you this week, if you feel able, to reach out.  You don’t need clever words or an official badge which says “Authorised Encourager”, you just need a phone or a writing pad and a few minutes to let someone know that you’re thinking of them or ask them how they’re doing, or ask how you can pray for them.  And if you don’t feel able, take a moment to thank God for the last person who did this for you because there’s power in the remembering and thanking as well.

As ever, please stay in touch.  We’re praying for the whole church family but if there are specific things we can pray for please let us know.

Paul Vaswani