THE KING’S BUSINESS
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loves God may expect sooner or later from a God-hating world (2 Tim. 3:12; Acts 16:24; John 15:18-20). But it is a blessed privilege to thus suffer for the Lord Jesus who laid down His life for us (Isa. 53 :5; Gal. 2:20, R. V .), and it brings an abun dant reward (Matt. 5:10-12; 2 Tim. 2:10- 12). It was after suffering these things and. other things too, harder to bear, that Paul wrote, “ I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are n o t. worthy to be compared to the glory that shall be revealed in us” (Rom. 8:18), “and our light afflic tion, which is for a moment, worketh for us more and more exceedingly an eternal weight o f glory” (2 Cor. 4: 1*7). v. 25. "And at (But about) midnight, Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises (were praying and singing hymns) unto God: and the prisoners heard (were listen ing to) them.” This is one o f the most inspiring prayer and praise services oh record. Note first o f all the circumstances under which the prayer meeting was held, in a dark hole, with torn, bleeding and aching backs, and with a very dark outlook for the morrow. Most o f us would have been sobbing and grumbling instead of praying and singing hymns. But it really was a good time to pray, just the kind o f time that God has taught us to pray (PS. 50:15; Jas. 5:13). But while it was a good time to pray, it certainly did seem like a strange time to sing hymns. But really it was just the time to be rejoicing and sing ing hymns (Luke 6:22, 23; ch. 5:41; Rom. 5 :3 ; Phil. 2:17; 1 Peter 14:4; Eph. 5:20). Sufferings for Christ are not something to be sad over nor to weep over, but some thing to rejoice over. Sorrows,and aches and pains taken in this way become sweet friends. Note also the time o f the prayer meeting, midnight. There is no better time for a prayer and praise meeting than that. It might seem as if Paul and Silas would have been better employed sleeping, getting strength for the next day’s trial, but strength can often be better gained by prayer than by sleep. And not only was God listening to Paul’s prayer, “the prison
ers were listening.” They were doubtless a hardened crowd, more used to blasphemy and bitter oaths and cursings, than to prayer and songs o f praise; but oaths and cursings were hushed and the wondering fellow-prisoners listened while Paul and Silas prayed and sung. Paul and Silas would never have gotten a hearing from these prisoners had 'they not themselves been cast into prison. Being cast into prison has been a door o f opportunity to many a Christian man since, and many a man who has been cast into prison, not as Paul was, for doing right, but for doing wrong, has been converted in the prison and become a messenger o f life to fellow prisoners. The writer has known many of whom this is true. v. 26. "And suddenly there was, a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison (prison house) wire shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed.” Here we see the results o f the prayer meeting—“a great earthquake,” “ foundations o f the prison, shaken,” “ every one’s bands loosed.” Our land needs a moral earthquake at the present time. The way to get it is to pray for it. And there are many prisoners who need to have their bands loosed, pris oners held by the chains o f evil habits and sin. The way to get their bands loosed is to pray for that. Great things were wrought by the prayers o f Paul and Silas, and as great things can be wrought by prayer today. W e shall see further results o f the prayer meeting as we go on : we shall see a jailer and his whole household Converted, baptized and rejoicing. vs. 27, 28. "And the keeper of the prison (jailer) awakening (being aroused) out of his (omit, his) sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he ( omit, he) drew out (omit, out) his sword, and would have killed (was about to kill) himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled (escaped). But Paul creid with a 'loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm, for we are all h e r . e The jailer in his hardened brutality had been entirely unconcerned regarding the suffer-
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