Pleasant Stone Devotional Meditation: October 24

“And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed … But Paul cried out with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here” ~ Acts 16:26, 28

This time God did not open the prison doors only in order to let His beloved disciples escape. He opened them primarily so that the Philippian jailer and his family could be set free from their sin.

The “other prisoners heard” Paul and Silas singing but the jailer had evidently heard too. And if he didn’t quite understand how it was that prisoners could sing and praise God at midnight, he found out when Paul and Silas put their “praise and singing” into action.

“Suddenly there was a great earthquake … and everyone’s bands were loosed. And the keeper of the prison, … seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had fled.” But Paul stopped him by shouting “We’re all here.” So impressed was the jailer with this unusual behavior, that he knelt before Paul and Silas and cried “What must I do to be saved?”

Sometimes God permits “a great earthquake” which opens our prison doors, so that we can take the easy way out. We decide at this point. Remaining in prison can sometimes lead to a greater fulfilling of God’s purpose than for us to go free. If Paul and Silas had escaped, the Lord would have loved them just as much, but they would not have shown us nor the jailer how much they loved Christ. After Paul and Silas led the jailer and his family to Christ, they even went back to prison. Paul could do this. Jesus Christ was his reason for living. And he knew Christ means every word He speaks. If it seems you are not to leave your “prison”, even though the doors are open, the word of the Lord Jesus is for you too.

“My grace is sufficient for thee …”