Singing From Joy

Singing From Joy

Acts16:22-25
22 Then the multitude rose up together against them; and the magistrates tore off their clothes and commanded them to be beaten with rods.
23 And when they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to keep them securely.
24 Having received such a charge, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.
25 But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.

The scene: The Philippian Jail
The Time:  11:40 PM
The “Guests” of the jailer: Paul of Tarsus and Silas

   Had it been many of us, the scene would have played out much differently. The questions about what happened and why it happened.  We had a permit.  We had a flag flying in plain sight. Placing blame on the Jewish leaders for stirring up the crowd and blaming the common folk who rioted even though they probably didn’t really know what was going on.  The magistrates and city elders deserved some blame, too, for having them beaten without a trial and thrown in this prison.  And that cold-hearted jailor for putting us into these uncomfortable stocks and not in a soft bed in the infirmary.  There would be a time of self-pity when the bruising and lacerations began to hurt.  And fear of what would happen tomorrow!  Would there be more beatings?  Could we get off with a warning and flee this wretched city?  
   So why did Paul and Silas act like they did?  Why the singing and prayers and praising God?  They were human like us and had passions and fears and hopes just like us. Their bodies would be bloody and bruised and in pain.  We would have been in misery and I doubt singing praises would have been my first thought.  But they sang.  It was midnight and they probably couldn’t sleep with the pain and the uncomfortable stocks they were in would only add to the misery.  But they chose to express themselves in singing.  They glorified God and were loud enough for the other prisoners to hear.
   I think the answer is one little three-letter word.  Joy.  They were filled with a love for God that rose above their pain and rose above their circumstances and filed their hearts with joy.  So they sang out and filled that jail with praises of God.
   Many times I’ve been in the middle of a pity party and had the mood ruined by thoughts of this incident. I want to wallow in my misery but I’m reminded of two guys beaten and sitting with their feet in stocks singing praises to God.  How can I work up a good misery then? I can’t come up with an excuse big enough to compare with what happened to them.  There are times I can say I’ve had a bad day and maybe even a bad week but not that bad compared to their week.  I’ve witnessed to people who have become hostile but never once have I been dragged to a judge who ordered me beaten.  The worst that I have experienced was one man who slapped the Bible out of my hand and cursed me.
   Where is my joy?  I want to sing praises more.  I want a song to bubble up out of my heart and come out of me in praise to God.  I want more joy in my salvation.  I pray that as I work on my one word resolution to embrace God more this year that somewhere in that journey I find that joy in being His.


   Stephen Cram                            February 24th, 2013                Colossians 2:8

Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.  Colossians 2:8