Under Our Noses

Monday, November 3, 2025

Good morning, Lord

Father in Heaven, I seek You first-the knowledge of Your kingdom and Your righteousness. Fill my consciousness constantly and complete Your joy in me as I take up my cross and follow...In Jesus' name…

Memory verse: Psalm 27:13-14 (NIV)

“I remain confident of this, I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.”

Verse of the day: Romans 13:1

13 “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.”

Today’s reading: Jeremiah 30-31 Philemon

Under Our Noses

Today’s New Testament Bible Reading is Paul’s letter to His Christian brother Philemon. Paul is a Roman prisoner and has come in contact with a man named Onesimus who is a slave who has evidently escaped from Philemon.

Onesimus had become a Christian while studying with and working with Paul. This is what I want us to think about. Philemon had a slave who was not a Christian believer. He was around his Christian master everyday-all day-in servitude. He ran away and somehow found his way to Paul who led him to faith in Christ.

What does that say about the Christian witness of Philemon? Why did Onesimus have to run away to find Jesus when he worked for a believer?

I don’t think that any of us have slaves-but-we have service people that we call occasionally-plumbers-carpenters-bankers-cashiers, etc.

Once, when I worked as a youth minister, a friend of mind traveled a long way to do a discipleship weekend at our church. I was showing him around the campus and we were in the gymnasium and happened upon our janitor and his wife. Before I knew it, my friend had both of them kneeling and accepting Christ in the middle of the gym floor. I was overjoyed, of course, but some shamed because I had known these folks for a good while and had not offered them my Lord.

How many ‘under our noses’ opportunities do we waste or have we wasted?

Do folks around us even know we are followers of Christ? How would they know? How do we show it?

Does the joy of Christ come through as confident peace and kindness or is it hidden by an ‘unhappy grouch’?

If you know Jesus, people need what you have. Tell the Lord you want Him to show in you-you want the world to see Jesus in you.

...because He loves you, He will do it…

Father in Heaven,

You are glorious. Let me know Your kingdom as I should. Charge me to obey as in Heaven. Give me what You know I need for today. Forgive me for being consumed with the world. Lead me from evil.

Loving God,

In the name of Christ Jesus,

Amen