Day 245: What's in Your Way?Acts 16:27-30
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, "Don't harm yourself! We are all here!" The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. He then brought them out and asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"
Thoughts for Today:I have really struggled with writing this devotion. I have written countless words, some deeply analytical, others funny and still others based on family life. But none have seemed right, so I started over. Days have passed and I felt the pressure of time to move on, yet the Lord has kept me right here. This morning I got up early, again resolved to finish today's devotion. I got on my knees and prayed that the Lord would release me from a business problem I've been struggling with and make the decision clear; I asked His Holy Spirit to give me wisdom and insight beyond my ability. You see, despite the fact I got up intending to write this devotion what was on my heart, in my head, and in my way was a business problem. I was still locked down tight, seeing no way out, again asking the Lord, "What must I do to be saved?" It was then I realized the devotion was in my prayer and circumstance.
I feel like the jailer from our passage today: I had done everything I thought and knew to be right, however despite my best effort I too was left in a very difficult situation. The jailer from our passage today had locked the prisoners up properly, but the Lord sent an earthquake and everyone was set free. Despite great preparation he failed at his primary responsibility. Now he was left with what he considered to be his only alternative -- the sword of self inflicted punishment and death. Was I any different or did I hear a voice calling to me if ever so dimly, "Don't harm yourself, I am here." But what does that mean to me in my circumstance? Am I not seeing the business properly? Do I need to call figuratively for "lights" as well? I fell on my knees this morning and asked the Lord, just like the jailer did of Paul and Silas, "What must I do to be saved?" The Lord's answer to me today was just as life changing as it was for the jailer two thousand years ago. The question remains, will I do what the Lord instructs?
Questions to Ponder:Do you know the sound of the Lord's voice? The Lord tells us in John 10:27, "My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me." I know the sound of daughter's voice. How? Because we are together constantly and I have heard it often. Therefore, even in a crowded room I can hear her calling out to me. The same is true for our relationship with the Lord, the more time we spend with the Lord the more easily we recognize His voice -- even amid all the confusion and cacophony of ambition, success, failure, pressure, likes and dislikes. I asked the Lord, "What must I do to be saved?" The Lord answered with a new direction for my life. Will I let go of the past and my regret over what could have been or should have been, or will I embrace with renewed energy and enthusiasm a new beginning? Stay tuned.
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, "Don't harm yourself! We are all here!" The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. He then brought them out and asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"
Thoughts for Today:I have really struggled with writing this devotion. I have written countless words, some deeply analytical, others funny and still others based on family life. But none have seemed right, so I started over. Days have passed and I felt the pressure of time to move on, yet the Lord has kept me right here. This morning I got up early, again resolved to finish today's devotion. I got on my knees and prayed that the Lord would release me from a business problem I've been struggling with and make the decision clear; I asked His Holy Spirit to give me wisdom and insight beyond my ability. You see, despite the fact I got up intending to write this devotion what was on my heart, in my head, and in my way was a business problem. I was still locked down tight, seeing no way out, again asking the Lord, "What must I do to be saved?" It was then I realized the devotion was in my prayer and circumstance.
I feel like the jailer from our passage today: I had done everything I thought and knew to be right, however despite my best effort I too was left in a very difficult situation. The jailer from our passage today had locked the prisoners up properly, but the Lord sent an earthquake and everyone was set free. Despite great preparation he failed at his primary responsibility. Now he was left with what he considered to be his only alternative -- the sword of self inflicted punishment and death. Was I any different or did I hear a voice calling to me if ever so dimly, "Don't harm yourself, I am here." But what does that mean to me in my circumstance? Am I not seeing the business properly? Do I need to call figuratively for "lights" as well? I fell on my knees this morning and asked the Lord, just like the jailer did of Paul and Silas, "What must I do to be saved?" The Lord's answer to me today was just as life changing as it was for the jailer two thousand years ago. The question remains, will I do what the Lord instructs?
Questions to Ponder:Do you know the sound of the Lord's voice? The Lord tells us in John 10:27, "My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me." I know the sound of daughter's voice. How? Because we are together constantly and I have heard it often. Therefore, even in a crowded room I can hear her calling out to me. The same is true for our relationship with the Lord, the more time we spend with the Lord the more easily we recognize His voice -- even amid all the confusion and cacophony of ambition, success, failure, pressure, likes and dislikes. I asked the Lord, "What must I do to be saved?" The Lord answered with a new direction for my life. Will I let go of the past and my regret over what could have been or should have been, or will I embrace with renewed energy and enthusiasm a new beginning? Stay tuned.
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