And
the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the
prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed
himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled. - Acts 16:27
Poor guy! He was just trying to do his job, although I don't think
he was actually supposed to be sleeping, but that's another thought
for another day. This poor soldier is awakened from his sleep, no
doubt by the earthquake, and the first thing he notices is that all
of the cell doors are standing open. He naturally assumes the
prisoners have escaped. Why wouldn't they? Why, indeed! In his
forlorn state, his first instinct is to take out his sword and end
his life.
Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem, yet sadly is
the only solution some can see when surrounded by darkness.
Statistics show that suicide is attempted once every 40 seconds in
the US alone. For a myriad of reasons, people see death as their
only option or escape. The Philippian jailer felt the same way. We
can only imagine the thoughts that must have been running rampant
through his mind, but I feel they were thoughts many of us can relate
to.
I'm
such a failure.
Despite his desire to do his job, the jailer thought he had failed,
and failure is a powerful thing. It can sap you of your strength and
your joy. It can bring about feelings of worthlessness. It is a
popular tool in Satan's workshop, one that's proven its effectiveness.
It's a shame the jailer didn't have the words of Winston Churchill,
“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is
the courage to continue that counts.”
Yes, failure is hard. Sure, it's difficult to get back up, dust
ourselves off and try again. But our effort is not in vain, and we
must remember that we are not walking alone.
My family would be better off without me. I
often wonder how many times these have been someone's last words.
They messed up (as we are all prone to do), but rather than bring
disgrace to their family, they decide to end it all. The cause seems
noble, but I guarantee you that if you asked that person's loved ones
what they thought about it, they would tell you that they would much
rather have lived with the shame than lost their loved one. In the
heat of the moment, in the midnight hour, everything seems so dark
and hopeless. That is not the time to make a decision. Wait for the
dawn. If the jailer had waited until the light of dawn filled the
prison, he would have seen that the prisoners were still there. He
wouldn't have needed Paul's intervention. No matter how hopeless the
situation may seem, give it time, and talk to your family. I'm sure
they're willing to walk the road with you.
I
have nothing left to live for.
At this point, the jailer realizes that as soon as his superiors
find out the prisoners have escaped, they're going to kill him.
Mercy was not shown to those who failed to do their jobs. From the
jailer's point of view, there was no reason to live. What he didn't
see, however, was God's point of view. God wasn't done with this
man. He still had a plan, a job that only this man could accomplish.
From God's point of view, this man had so much to live for. When it
seems as if you've lost everything and there's nothing worth living
for, remember that you're only seeing from one point of view. God
still has a plan for you. He's not done with you yet. He has a job
that only you can do, and He'll give you everything you need to
accomplish that job. Don't quit on God. He didn't quit on you.
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