Forgiving the Enemy

May 11, 2013

Opening Hymns:
400 Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing http://www.hymnsite.com/lyrics/umh400.sht

Scripture Reading:
Acts 16:16-34

¹⁶ Now it happened, as we went to prayer, that a certain slave girl possessed with a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much profit by fortune-telling. ¹⁷ This girl followed Paul and us, and cried out, saying, “These men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation.” ¹⁸ And this she did for many days.
But Paul, greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And he came out that very hour. ¹⁹ But when her masters saw that their hope of profit was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to the authorities.
²⁰ And they brought them to the magistrates, and said, “These men, being Jews, exceedingly trouble our city; ²¹ and they teach customs which are not lawful for us, being Romans, to receive or observe.” 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. ²⁶ Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed. ²⁷ And the keeper of the prison, awaking from sleep and seeing the prison doors open, supposing the prisoners had fled, drew his sword and was about to kill himself. ²⁸ But Paul called with a loud voice, saying, “Do yourself no harm, for we are all here.”
²⁹ Then he called for a light, ran in, and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. ³⁰ And he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
³¹ So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.” ³² Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. ³³ And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes. And immediately he and all his family were baptized. ³⁴ Now when he had brought them into his house, he set food before them; and he rejoiced, having believed in God with all his household.

Message:
The scripture for today brings a smile to my face. Paul and Silas are forgiving and caring to everyone, and do not judge others harshly. In this scripture they are beaten and locked away in a prison cell because Paul sent out a demon from a child. Then the doors are miraculously opened and they do not go out. Their concern is for the keeper of the prison. He is the one that has the freedom keep them locked away or let them go, and yet they wait in the prison for his sake. Because of their compassion and their forgiveness the keeper of the prison believes in Jesus and he and his family are saved.

More than anything this scripture causes me to look at myself and how open I am to others who may have done me wrong. How forgiving are we in those situations? We can learn a lesson on forgiveness from Paul and Silas. Instead of feeling wronged by others we can feel sad for them that they would behave in a way that would hurt others. We can pray for them, and forgive them for their actions, and we can help them by sharing God’s love with them regardless of what they may have done.

Time of Prayer
Dear Lord, thank You for sharing Your love with us as well as giving us the scriptures to read so that we know how to share Your love with others. Guide us on this day, and help us love others with all our hearts. Amen

The Lord’s Prayer


Closing Hymn
157 Jesus Shall Reign http://www.hymnsite.com/lyrics/umh157.sht

May the Lord bless you and keep you: May the Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious unto you: May the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace." Amen.

Go in peace, serve the Lord
Thanks be to God