“And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.”
Paul and Silas had been 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 Bible does not explain it, but based on what we know about their commitment to Jesus, we can surmise why they reacted in this positive manner. We can learn from them how we can “sing at midnight” when we face hard times. 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 too. The second reason was they knew that their sins were forgiven. They had not been forgiving 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. Our true Christian mettle will be revealed when we are under stress, or when life seems to be going against us. 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 were assured that death had been defeated. The lives of Paul and Silas were in danger at that moment. They did not know what was about to happen to them. In those days prisoners had no rights whatever, and their jailers could almost do with them as they wished. They were not afraid of the prospect of dying because they believed in the Savior who defeated death for them. As Paul wrote: “To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.” He also wrote: “To die is gain.” Armed with this assurance, they could “pray and sing at midnight.” Death has been defeated for us as well; therefore, we can “pray and sing at midnight.” The fourth reason was they knew that Jesus was with them. They knew the promise that Jesus made: “Lo I am with you always, 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 fifth reason was they knew that the other prisoners were listening. We do not need to 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 death has been defeated, that Jesus is with us and that we are always witnesses for Jesus, we will remember to “pray and sing at midnight.” Bro. Joe
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AuthorDr. Joe Beauchamp is the author of this blog and website. Categories
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