Hosanna Restoration Church

There is no doubt that God is a suddenly God. We may feel at times like things are taking forever, and then suddenly it is finished. In this scripture we see Paul and Silas amazing the other prisoners as they praise the Lord in the midst of their troubles, and suddenly they are all free. Does this mean that God sends all the earthquakes and floods and tragedy in the world to get people? No way! I think this one was an isolated shaking for a specific purpose. I really think it was more for the sake of the jailer and his family and the other prisoners than for Paul and Silas.

God could have led Paul and Silas out all by themselves like He did for Peter when he was in jail, but instead He shook things up. He used the earthquake to open the Jailers heart. Then when the jailer was in despair, God let Paul know what the jailer was about to do and from the depths of the prison in the darkness, Paul calls out, “Don’t do it. We are all here.” As a result, the jailer and his household were saved that very night. We can be reasonably certain that there were many more who believed as a result of this thing that God did at midnight.

I started out calling this devotion SUDDENDLY, then changed it to midnight. There are a lot of midnight hours in our lives. By the clock, there is one each day, but in this context there can be many in a single day, and then again there can be none for many days at a time. And of course there can be some that seem to last and last. How we look at these darkest hours and how we handle them, have a great effect not only us, but on others as well.

Paul and Silas were in pain and probably wondering what would be next. To ease their pain and confusion, they did what they knew always worked best. They sang and praised the Lord. They were not doing this to impress the prisoners around them, they were doing it because it was the way they handled trouble. God in turn used it for a mighty purpose.

God did not send the trouble on Paul and Silas in the first place, and He does not send trouble at you, but He is always able to turn what the devil means for harm into something good. Remember, if we can believe, all things are possible! Whenever there is something big happening, it effects people’s hearts. Whether it is a tragedy or a triumph, there is always an opportunity for peoples lives to be changed.

For instance, when we began this new millennium, there were many people greatly relieved and yes thanking God that there had been no big problems. People who had not considered God as such a big factor in their lives were now feeling thankful. I wonder how many were suddenly brought into the kingdom? Remember, midnight is just before the morning, and God has good things for you each day. So don’t give up. Give God Glory instead. Morning is only a moment away!