Acts 16:16-34
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. 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.” 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. 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. When they had brought them before the magistrates, they said, “These men are disturbing our city; they are Jews and are advocating customs that are not lawful for us as Romans to adopt or observe.” The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates had them stripped of their clothing and ordered them to be beaten with rods. After they had given them a severe flogging, they threw them into prison and ordered the jailer to keep them securely. Following these instructions, he put them in the innermost cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.
About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. 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. 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. But Paul shouted in a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.” The jailer called for lights, and rushing in, he fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. Then he brought them outside and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” They answered, “Believe on the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” They spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. At the same hour of the night he took them and washed their wounds; then he and his entire family were baptized without delay. 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.
Reflection
A slave girl with a "python-spirit" was following Paul. Salvation at this time, came through prayers to the Most High God. This was a time when gods were plural. Even the Roman rulers were gods. So, the proclamation of the girl who had a spirit of divination would rub Paul and his followers nerves.
The slave girl's owners were able to make money off of her because people believed in what she said about the gods of the day. They too were upset. They were upset when Paul cast the spirit out of the girl. The very spirit that showed the people of the day the way of salvation from the gods of the day. So...
Paul gets tossed into prison. Not only tossed but beaten as well. Paul and Silas are in prison singing. What a witness to following God's will and way in one's life. They don't even seem to feel the pain of prison, but take it and sing to God. And then on top of the prison sentence they are in an earthquake! This also is meant for good though.
God seems to take the bad times and turn them around. When we endure in faith and love, we can rest assured that God will bring us through the tough times one way or another. As believers, we know that God is with us in Jesus. We know that a place has been prepared for us. We can rest assured that whatever this earthly existence tosses our way, God has something better in store for us. So, like Paul and Silas, we can make it too, and sing praises to God along the way.
In this passage God uses prison and an earthquake to rescue and save the jailer and his family. The jailer was about to kill himself because of the events of the earthquake. All of the prisoners were free to go, but they didn't. God was using this as a way to save. A salvation much better than what the slave girl was proclaiming. This was a salvation freely given to the jailer and his family through God coming to him.
Our prayers won't save us. But God through Jesus coming to each one of us does. In this we can give up worry. By prayer and supplication with thanksgiving we bring our worries to God. And in this, the peace that surpasses all understanding will guide our hearts and our minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:6-7 my paraphrase). So... let's sing a song of praise to God this day, even in the midst of it all!
Prayer
Lord, open my eyes to your saving grace in all situations. Open my eyes that I may sing praises and honor you in all times and places. Lord, open my eyes to what you would have me do when you would have me do it... today... tomorrow... and forever. --- Amen
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