The Joy of the Lord

So, I'm writing a nice-sized paper for my New Testament class, and am almost finished reading through Acts for the second time.  Today I read in chapter 16, when Paul and Silas were imprisoned.  As they were "praying and singing hymns to God," an earthquake came, and all of the prisoners doors flew open. Paul and Silas had an opportunity to run free and get out of prison so that they could continue their ministry. But when the jailer saw that all of the prisoner's doors were open, he drew his sword and was about ready to kill himself.  He knew that if all of the prisoners had escaped, it was an automatic death sentence, so why not just take his own life before someone else did?  But Paul shouted, "Don't harm yourself, we're all here!" It was because of the integrity of Paul and Silas, their influence on the prisoners around them, and the power of God, that the jailer fell on his knees and pleaded with them, asking,

"What must I do to be saved?"

Paul answered the man, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved..."(Acts 16:31). That night, the jailer took Paul and Silas back to his home, he washed their wounds, fed them a meal, and immediately he and his family were baptized.

This next part is my favorite...

"He was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God"

A man's life was saved as the result of a crazy situation:

Paul and Silas were imprisoned.

At midnight they were praying and singing hymns to God.

All the other prisoners were listening.

A violent earthquake came.

The doors of the prison cells flew open.

AND NO ONE ESCAPED.

In fact...

The jailer was ready to kill himself.

Paul and Silas shouted that no one had left.

The jailer came before them on his knees and surrendered his life to Christ. 

He invited Paul and Silas to his home.

He washed their wounds.

He fed them a meal.

He and his family were baptized.

HE WAS FILLED WITH JOY BECAUSE HE HAD COME TO BELIEVE IN GOD!

What an incredible story. It reveals the sovereignty of our God and Savior.  Paul and Silas were thrown into prison so that they could be a testimony to the men around them.  Their attitudes in worship and integrity were radiant as the men listened to them and the jailer surrendered his life to the God of heaven and earth that night on the cold, prison floor.  

In the midst of trials, we must be patient and trust in the God who holds the universe in the palm of His hand.  His plans are so much greater than our human minds can ever fathom.  Who would have ever thought that God would throw two God-loving, righteous men into a prison cell so that a jailer could come to saving faith..?

Only God.

I also love this story because it is such an incredible reminder to me of the beauty of our salvation.  When this man believed in the Lord, everything in him changed.  His trembling turned to a heart of compassion and hospitality as he opened his home to Paul and Silas and washed their wounds, fed them and was baptized.  He was filled with JOY because he had come to believe in God!  

AHH. Why do we not embrace this joy of the Lord more in our lives?! We who believe are granted this joy from the God of heaven and earth!!! It's a gift! Why do we not bask in this joy every day that we wake up in His presence?  The fact that His mercies are new every single morning, should bring us joy.  The fact that we have a bed to sleep in, clothes on our backs and food to eat, should bring us inexpressible joy.  The fact that we are able to be educated people, should bring us joy.  The fact that we have the freedom to worship and love the Lord Jesus Christ, should bring us a joy that we can't hide.   We must go out into the world and bind wounds of those around us and show hospitality to those in need!

Our hearts must change as we are reminded that the God of heaven and earth has placed in us 

HIS JOY through salvation.