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Acts 15-16: God Works in Unexpected Ways, Part 2

Jul 31, 2009
Acts, Evangelism, God, Miracles, salvation

 

Earthquake Seismograph

Earthquake Seismograph

Today’s reading is Acts 15:1-16:40.

 

On Wednesday, we saw Peter escape from prison. No one expected it to happen the way it did. Peter didn’t expect it. It wasn’t until he was actually outside the gates and the angel left that he realized it was more than a dream. The Christians didn’t expect it. When Rhoda told them Peter was at the house gate, they thought she must be mistaken. Yet, God works in unexpected ways.

In Acts 16:16ff we find an apostle in prison again. He is praying and singing, along with Silas. Then God does the unexpected. He doesn’t simply cause the magistrates to release Paul. He doesn’t send an angel to spirit Paul and Silas away. This time, He sends a natural disaster. He sends an earthquake. 

However, this surprising turn of events produces great results. Who knows how well the jailer had been listening to Paul and Silas’s songs and prayers. But when they stay after the earthquake, as do the other prisoners, his heart is softened and he wants to hear Paul and Silas’s message. He and his entire household submit to the gospel.

I can’t help but see the parallel established once again between Paul and Peter. I also can’t help but see again that God works in unexpected ways. Who would have expected an earthquake to be the key to the jailer’s salvation. Yet, God gets His work done. Maybe we should rely on Him more and ourselves less.

***Question: Why is it hard to rely on God?

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

1 Comment
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  • Eric Huggins

    We definitely need to rely more on God and less on ourselves. Recently I was thinking about plans for the future that we've been praying about and I found that I had been thinking more about what I wanted (even though I was praying about it) that what God wanted and where He was guiding us. We need to rely more on God through faith.

    I think it is hard to rely on God because it requires faith and many times we have "little faith". One indication for myself and for many people for how much faith we have and how much we rely on God is how much we hope and are of good courage in our lives. I'm reminded on 1 Thess. 5:6-8 –> "we walk by faith, not by sight".



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