“And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.”
Paul and Silas were wrongfully imprisoned in the jail at Philippi. They were under what we would call maximum security. They could hardly move because they were in stocks. Why, then, were they praying and singing at midnight? The first reason for their singing at midnight was they knew that God loved them. The people who had them jailed did not love them or care one way or the other. But these two great Christians knew that God loved them. It is amazing what this realization can do to our reactions to the negative things of life. If we know that God loves us, we can pray and sing at midnight. The second reason was they knew that their sins were forgiven. They had not been forgiven by the authorities, but they had been forgiven by Jesus. It is amazing what knowing that we are forgiven can do for our attitudes towards life. There are many Christians who do not pray and sing because they are still carrying guilt for sins that have been forgiven. If we know for sure that we are forgiven by an almighty and loving God, we too, can “pray and sing at midnight.” The third reason was they knew that Jesus was with them. They knew the promise that Jesus made: “Lo I am with you alway, even unto the end of the ages.” Jesus, through the Holy Spirit, was in the cell and the stocks with them. He knew of their predicament, but He was there loving and watching over them. We need to realize that no matter what is going on in our lives at any given time, Jesus is with us. The fourth reason was they knew that the other prisoners were listening. We should not miss the statement that “the prisoners heard them.” Paul was always aware that wherever he was and whatever was happening in his life, he was a witness for Jesus Christ. If Paul and Silas could pray and sing at midnight under those circumstances, the prisoners would know that they had something, or someone, special in their lives. People do not notice our witness as much when we are in church, or when we are going through good times, as they do when we are going through difficult times. We need to remember that when we “pray and sing at midnight,” other people hear us and it serves as a witness to them. We need to ask ourselves if we are “midnight singers” or chronic complainers? If we know that God loves us, that our sins are forgiven, that Jesus is with us and that we are always witnesses for Jesus, we will remember to “pray and sing at midnight.” Bro. Joe
1 Comment
Linda Brooks
2/11/2017 01:43:22 pm
WELL.........YOU GOT ME AGAIN !! I Pray GOD continues fo EXPAND MY PRAYER LIFE.
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AuthorDr. Joe Beauchamp is the author of this blog and website. Categories
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