Filled with Joy

DEVOTION

THE BOOK OF ACTS

FILLED WITH JOY

Acts 16:29-34

29 The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 He then brought them out and asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" 31 They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved — you and your household." 32 Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. 33 At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his family were baptized. 34 The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God — he and his whole family.

NIV

We are in the midst of this story, the meat of it as it were, because this is one if not the most important part of the story. We have Paul and Silas beaten and jailed because of casting an evil spirit from a slave girl. We have seen God move breaking down the door and the chains holding them, giving them the opportunity to run away, but no, they stayed put and even assured the jailer they were there so as not to kill himself over losing all the prisoners in his charge. Now the jailer is the focus of this story as it is his turn to find Jesus. The only thing we really know about this jailer is that he was either a man of great character or he was a coward. He was so distraught thinking he had lost his prisoners, through no actual fault of his own, he was going to kill himself. But after finding them all in place, and surely he had heard Paul and Silas praying and singing hymns, he knew all this was because of them, or their God rather.  We see how he reacts, wanting to know how he can be saved. Perhaps he was not asking about being saved from sin, but saved from punishment from the magistrate. But because of the great shaking of the jail along with all the supernatural aspect we have to believe the jailer was so impressed with Paul and Silas and what had happened because of their God, he wanted what they had, he wanted to know their God, he wanted that kind of protection, safety they had. Perhaps this is the life lesson for us. Yes we know the jailer did get saved, his whole family and they were all baptized and that all this happened during the night hours. But the point here is that he was saved because of the attitude of Paul and Silas in the middle of hardship, and the moving of God on their behalf. We can be certain, the jailer made a very emotional heartfelt belief in God, because we are told he was filled with joy because he come to believe in God. This was not some intellectual decision because of a great thoughtful debate about God. This was a man so moved because of what God had done on behalf of his servants he had to know this God and be a part of that kind of life. Perhaps if we want to share Jesus with others we need to live in such a manner so that God is revealed to them through our lives in a supernatural way. People need to see God at work. People need to see God at work in our lives, saving us in every situation, doing mighty works on our behalf. But then we also must live in that kind of manner, always praying, trusting, looking to him for our lives, singing hymns, living in a manner totally devoted to him. We cannot afford to rely on our own efforts, but must rely completely on God, as Paul and Silas were, even in the darkness of times. As we live completely dedicated to God, he moves in mighty ways in our lives, and others will see how he cares for us, and want that kind of life as well. Perhaps the jailer was filled with joy as he saw Paul and Silas having joy even in the jail. God brings us this joy.