“May the Lord show mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, because he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains. On the contrary, when he was in Rome, he searched hard for me until he found me. May the Lord grant that he will find mercy from the Lord on that day! You know very well in how many ways he helped me in Ephesus.”
2 Timothy 1:16-18 NIV
I had a golden retriever named Coby…yes both my daughter and my dog were named after cars, a few of you girls might have picked up on that…a few. My son would have been named after one too but Mustang just didn’t seem appropriate.
Anyways, back to the dog. Coby was the best family pet ever. My kids would ride on her, lay on her or dance with her front paws on their shoulders. The only negatives with Coby were her shedding hair and her overspray. At one point there was a mucky pond in the field behind our house. Coby loved the water so much that she would sneak out and jump in the pond. Inevitably, when you went to get her out she immediately shook and soaked you with her overspray.
In the verses above Paul is praying a blessing over a guy named Onesiphorus because he was a source of refreshing to him, but not in the doggie shake-off kinda way. Paul is near the end of his life at this point, he’s thanking and commending Onesiphorus for being there for him in his time of need. Scripture tells us that when Paul was first charged and put in prison, everyone deserted him.1
It’s sad when that happens in the church. It really shouldn’t happen.
Paul shares here how Onesiphorus didn’t forget about Paul when he was in prison but went to great trouble to find out where he was and dropped everything to help him. Onesiphorus didn’t care what others thought, or what it cost him to travel; he cared about his friend. Paul makes it clear that Onesiphorus had been this way for a long time, refreshing and helping others back in Ephesus.
Today I want you to think about overspray in two ways.
First, is there someone in your life whose overspray has brought you help and times of refreshing? If so, take the time today to thank them and pray a blessing over their life and the life of their family members as Paul did.
Secondly, I want you to think about the overspray of your life. Choose today to be a shower of refreshing to those around you!
Prayer
Father…I thank-You for the people in my life that have helped me and have been a source of refreshment to my spirit. I recognize that it’s because of Your love for me. I thank You for putting them in my life. Help me to look for ways that the oversrpray of my life can help others make it through hard times so no one feels deserted. Let streams of living water flow out of me to others. In Jesus Name…Amen
1 2 Timothy 4:16
#Dare2Share
Post in the Comment Section below and bolster the faith of someone else!

I’m very aware of the fact that the “If Mumma ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy” syndrome is a real thing in my house, so I try to be very conscious of my “overspray” here most of all. One way that I try to do this is by soaking my brain in truth so that righteousness is not a wall-papered affair, but something that comes from the overflow of the Spirit in me.
Oh that’s good Michele, “so that righteousness is not a wall-papered affair”. Surely the overflow of the Spirit is the overspray of your life and it affects so many in a refreshing way. Praying you’re blessed and refreshed today as Proverbs 11:25 says: “whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.”
~Sherry
xoxo
What a wonderful post Sherry! Thank you for being my “overspray” today! And Michele Morin (always so wise) thanks for reminding me to be conscious of my “overspray”. What a great post to start the day with!
Thanks Laura! Its funny, I wrote this post thinking of others and it’s like a boomerang effect! Have a blessed day showering all those around you!
~Sherry
xoxo
What a great visual!
Thanks Christie 🙂
~Sherry
xoxo
Overspray! I like it. Yes, I’ve experienced several people who have showered me with kindness, particularly when I was in a place where I needed it most – a Paul and the church and the deserters kind of place. As a grace receiver, my heart is truly to be a grace giver – an oversprayer! 🙂 Thanks for your encouragement today, Sherry.
I’m re-launching my blog today and you’re welcome and invited to come on over and join the celebration. So glad that I visited today from #RaRalinkup.
Tiffany, I’m so glad you stopped by! Glad you received a splash of encouragement today 🙂 I’ll swing by your place soon! congrats on the restart. In my new devotional that comes out next week I have one devotion called ‘The Reset Button’. It’s about when God het the ‘reset’ button on my life. I think you might be able to relate??? Praying blessings on your relaunch!
What a memorable metaphor! It reminds me to be aware of which “puddles” I play in because what I overspray on others will affect them too. May we all splash in the puddles of God’s grace and overflow with His love to all people!
Well said Elizabeth! I love your last sentence! Thanks for stopping by 🙂
~Sherry
xoxo
What a great analogy, Sherry! I won’t forget to think about the overspray I’ve received and that which I need to give. Thanks so much for this!!
So glad I could inspire the inspirer 🙂 Counting my blessings for God connecting us.
In His Grip,
~Sherry
xoxo
A great analogy, Sherry! I want to refresh others with the overflow of God’s work in my life! Blessings to you this day!!
Let it flow Dianne~~~
~Sherry
xoxo