Paul & Silas in Prison, even in the depth of despair God is there...

In the Scripture verses that we looked at this last Sunday (Acts 16:16-34), we find Paul & Silas going through a whip-sawing of emotions and situations.  They've just come off of recruiting Lydia into the new 'Jesus Sect' and they're riding high so to speak.  For crying out loud they have their own private 'cryer' or 'herald' following them around (the slave girl with the spirit of divination within her) and announcing their mission to all to hear.  But, this practice gets old and Paul sends the spirit packing, which unbeknownst to him will cause the cascade of events that are to follow.

Paul and Silas are falsely accused by the girls owners and subsequently arrested, beaten and imprisoned .  Here shackled in chains they are praying, worshiping and SINGING!  Many commentators infer that they are singing hymns of celebration or adoration, but the scripture doesn't give us this guidance, it's  also possible that they were singing some of the Psalms of lament.  Certainly they aren't in a very celebratory situation, but even here, chained, accused and locked away Paul is ever watchful for the chance to further God's Kingdom.  Certainly, he didn't know that an earthquake of deliverance was coming, but what he did know (and what each of us should know as well) was that somehow, someway this was not to be his final destination.  God would deliver him one way or another.

Once the earthquake had occurred, Paul was able to recognize the opportunity God had given to him and he was able to preach the love, the joy and the grace of God to first the jailer and then the jailer's entire family.  Extending a hand of deliverance and grace to the very man who not more than a few hours past had chained him to a wall and locked him into a cell.  This man was more Paul's enemy than a brother in faith... but Paul did not care... for God did not care.

God called Paul and placed him there to be this man's deliverer, his chance to learn the love and joy found in the life of Jesus who is the Christ.  Paul knew this and responded faithfully to God's provision.

Let us not only be always on the watch for when and where God wishes to use us to extend his love to the unexpected but let us remember that at times God calls us to extend His grace to those who have harmed us and whom we have come to see as enemies or adversaries.  Remember that Jonah was called to save the Ninevites from their sinful ways, God can (and he will) call on each of us to minister or even evangelize to those who have wronged us, insulted us, or even physically injured us.  We can learn from Jonah's initial refusal to submit and more-so from Paul's unquestioning obedience.

God is a God of grace and he calls us to be His people... a people of grace and love.

Be a blessing to someone today!

In His Grace always,
Roy

Acts 16:16-34  New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

Paul and Silas in Prison
16 One day, as we were going to the place of prayer, we met a slave-girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners a great deal of money by fortune-telling. 17 While she followed Paul and us, she would cry out, “These men are slaves of the Most High God, who proclaim to you a way of salvation.” 18 She kept doing this for many days. But Paul, very much annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I order you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And it came out that very hour.

19 But when her owners saw that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace before the authorities. 20 When they had brought them before the magistrates, they said, “These men are disturbing our city; they are Jews 21 and are advocating customs that are not lawful for us as Romans to adopt or observe.” 22 The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates had them stripped of their clothing and ordered them to be beaten with rods. 23 After they had given them a severe flogging, they threw them into prison and ordered the jailer to keep them securely. 24 Following these instructions, he put them in the innermost cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.

25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly there was an earthquake, so violent that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were unfastened. 27 When the jailer woke up and saw the prison doors wide open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, since he supposed that the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul shouted in a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.” 29 The jailer called for lights, and rushing in, he fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 Then he brought them outside and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31 They answered, “Believe on the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” 32 They spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. 33 At the same hour of the night he took them and washed their wounds; then he and his entire family were baptized without delay. 34 He brought them up into the house and set food before them; and he and his entire household rejoiced that he had become a believer in God.