The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. But Paul shouted, “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!” The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” (Acts 16:27-30)
People do some weird things for the sake of the gospel.
If I was part of a team making our way south, but having issues crop up that stopped us getting there, then a team member said they got a dream that we should go east instead, I would question that substantially. (No offence to those in the east, it just wasn’t the direction I was heading in.)
If I was unjustly imprisoned and an opportunity came to walk out of the prison because my chains were loosed and the prison suffered an earthquake, I would walk.
Paul and the New Mission Crew learn the intriguing way the importance of being receptive to the leading of the Spirit. They are flexible to the change in the journey, albeit after some effort. They are obedient to the Macedonian Call even when the dream of a man calling them over, leads them to a heavily influential encounter with a woman in the area.
A very remarkable episode in a very remarkable chapter in the story of Acts is the response to the midnight jail experience. Here it is not just Paul and Silas who are in the prison, yet when the prison doors are opened and the chains are loosed, all the prisoners stay where they are. Why is that? What is it about the situation that makes it a gospel opportunity? Whatever it is, the situation is set up for the Philippian Jailer to himself and his household to be released into new life by faith in Christ.
This highlights how we’re likely to come across circumstances and situations where we might want to escape something. God, however, actually uses the opportunity for others to find true escape from the world of sin and death into new life in Him through our witness in those difficult times.
These, however, only take place as we remain open and sensitive to the various ways in which the Spirit leads.
For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
C. L. J. Dryden
Life With CD 