Tag: prayer and worship
Singing in the night!
Scripture reading for May 27: Acts 16
” About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bonds were unfastened. When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul cried with a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.” And the jailer called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas. Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” Acts 16:25-30
This story is a contrast of different world views. In Paul and Silas we have prayer and worship, in spite of being in the prison dungeon in chains. In the other prisoners, we find curious listening and probably some mocking of their faith and worship. In the jailer, we find despair in his assumption that his life was over if the prisoners had escaped. I imagine all would have been shaken up because of the strong earthquake that opened the doors and unfastened the shackles. Why wouldn’t they escape with open doors and loosened chains? That should have been the logical outcome. Faith works by love!
The contrast is one of worldly logic and human nature and its fears with faith and supernatural peace. Paul and Silas were prisoners of Rome but free to worship and pray. They entered the world of God’s abundance and divine provision where all things are possible. As they worshipped, heaven did what human strength or reason could not. Invisible forces of angelic power and God’s providence shook the jail and those inside and outside. The jailer and his household were saved and redeemed. The magistrate ordered their release from jail. Paul and Silas demanded an apology and got one. They visited other believers and departed, having done God’s will and work.
How do you think you might have responded to being beaten and imprisoned for the Gospel? Why does God allow His people to go through this kind of suffering in doing His work? What role did these apostles have in reaching the jailer and his family?
Prayer: Father God, thank You for sharing with us Your amazing ability to answer prayer. Thank you for using Your people, even in suffering, to witness hope to those imprisoned by their own sinful world view. Lead me by Your Holy Spirit to live in such manner as to have people ask how to be saved. Amen!
The Altar at Bethel
Scripture reading for January 13th: Genesis 32-36
Can you imagine working for seven years for the girl you loved, only to wake up on your wedding morning with her sister? (Genesis 30:25) Can you imagine working another 7 years for the girl and your father-in-law, who changes your wages all the time? Can you imagine rivalry for a husband’s affection in a home with two wives and four concubines? Jacob turned to building altars to meet with God. Prayer was the only way to make it through the trouble!
One day after nearly 20 years in Paddan Aram, God spoke to Jacob about returning to his homeland. (Genesis 31:3) Jacob gathered up his family and set out with his flocks. Laban came after him and confronted him, but God dealt with Laban to let him go. God is so thorough with His plans that when He speaks, we can be certain that they will come to pass. After wrestling with God, Jacob successfully returned to his homeland and Esau made peace with him. In Canaan, he bought a plot of ground near Shechem and set up an altar and called it “Mighty is the God of Israel“. (Genesis 33:20) Jacob tried to honor the Lord who had so blessed and helped him.
During this stay at Shechem one of Jacob’s daughters, Dinah, was raped by one of the men of Shechem. This infuriated her brothers and two of them secretly plotted to get even. Revenge may seem sweet momentarily, but only God can repay! The murder of the townsmen by Levi and Simeon brought trouble on Jacob’s family and he became fearful. He evidently sought the Lord and God spoke to him, “Go up to Bethel and settle there and build an altar there to God, who appeared to you when you were fleeing from your brother Esau.” (Genesis 35:1) God again met Jacob and changed his name to Israel! “Israel” means “conquered by God”!
We note again the ongoing conversation and direction from the Lord that Jacob had. He was in covenant relationship with God and God was caring for him through all his troubles. Bethel became an early center of worship in Israel. Jacob learned how important it was to follow God and worship regularly. The altar was established as a place to meet with God through sacrifice.