"At midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly, there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone's chains came loose. 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 loudly, "Do not harm yourself! We are all here!" (Acts of the Apostles, Ch. 16, vs. 25-28).*
We've all watched movies where prisoners try to escape by devising all sorts of plans. It becomes an obsession for them – they don't sleep, they don't eat, and all their efforts and dreams revolve around achieving freedom. Maybe that's why the above passage sounds a bit strange, don't you think?
An earthquake occurs in the prison where Paul and Silas are bound, causing all the chains and bindings to fall off, and the prisoners' hands and feet are freed. The doors open before them. It's the perfect moment for an escape. Imagine being one of those detained individuals. None of us know how many they were, or how long they were held in darkness and misery, or if some were facing a death sentence. Yet, despite the incredible chance to escape death and years of bondage, none of them leaves the prison, even though they have the opportunity. How do we explain that?
- You stay when it makes no sense to try and escape
If you truly imagine being one of the prisoners with Paul and Silas, which would be more frightening to you – the Roman soldiers or the God whom Paul and Silas speak of in their prayers and songs, who causes an earthquake to free His servants? Yes, it was a rhetorical question. It is no coincidence that it's said that while Paul and Silas were praying and singing, or in a way preaching, the prisoners were listening and observing them. What the Lord does is to demonstrate in action the truth of the song and prayers of His disciples before all the prisoners. After God proves to all the criminals that He is alive and active, that He can do anything, there is no option for them to escape. He will find them wherever they go. Then they are left disarmed and clearly aware of the truth and greatness of Yahweh and His Son, Lord Jesus Christ.
What does this mean for us today? Likewise, we find ourselves without the desire to escape from situations, people, or experiences that scare us when we realize that the only one we should fear is the Lord. He is above everything and everyone.
- You stay because you are already free
We use the phrase "to get away from" for a situation or activity that we don't enjoy and don't want to experience. The verb escape carries a sense of action with effort, of fleeing, of leaving something in a difficult manner, of liberation. The prisoners, Paul and Silas, no longer need to try to outsmart the guards, to “escape” as criminals, to take their own freedom into their own hands. They are already free. Neither the Romans nor even hell itself can hold them. Then what need do they have for escape? Only the guilty or those trying to rid themselves of something heavy, frightening, or at least unpleasant, with their own efforts, try to run away. That's why everyone stays, which is a massive testimony to the prison warden. He doesn't even consider that a prisoner might have the chance to escape and not take it. That's because the Roman soldier has no idea what true freedom is; to him, it has only a physical dimension.
Let's apply everything said so far to our daily life – you won't feel relieved or freer if you avoid difficulties and unpleasant people and circumstances. Escape will not bring you the ease that you long for. You must find it amidst the difficulty, amidst the problem, amidst the chains that once bound your hands. Your endurance during hardship, your confrontation with the problem, your behavior and words during the difficulty are a testimony that others observe. When you choose to trust in God, instead of taking matters into your own hands, seeking ways "to get rid of" or saving yourself however you can, then God will shake the earth for you. Then those who see your life will be shaken and touched by that very Lord whom you trust.
Encouragement for the week: Why stay?
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- Because you don't need escape; you need grace and inner freedom.
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- Because the fear of not fulfilling what God is calling you to should be greater than the fear of the difficult and unknown.
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- Because your decision to stay will save lives around you.
Jesus also stayed on the cross for us.
*Biblical quotes are according to the text of Bible, New Translation from the Original Languages © Bulgarian Bible Society 2013.
Photo: Caroline Hernandez