Falling Down Before Paul and Silas - Acts 16:29

The beloved physician Luke shared how Paul and Silas were beaten for delivering a “damsel” from an “evil spirit” that caused her to divine for her “masters” who now were without their profits. Afterward Paul and Silas were cast “into the inner prison” and the jailer “made their feet fast in the stocks. And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed. 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. But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do yourself no harm: for we are all here.”, and in chapter sixteen and verse twenty-nine of the book of Acts Luke shared how the prison keeper, “fell down before Paul and Silas” where we read:

Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas,

The verse begins, “Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, ...” Luke began with the words, “then he called for a light” which means “at that time the jailer asked, craved and begged for a lamp which illuminated brightness”, “and sprang in” or “and rushed in impetuously”, “and came trembling” which means “and arose and appeared quaking and terrified”. Luke shared how the “jailer” asked for an illuminating lamp, rushed into the inner prison and quaked with fear.

The verse continues, “... and fell down before Paul and Silas,” Luke added the words, “and fell down” or “and prostrated himself” “before Paul” which means “in front and in the presence of Paul whose name means little or small” “and Silas” whose name means “woody” and was “a Roman citizen and the companion of the apostle Paul on several of his missionary journeys”. Luke shared how the “jailer” prostrated himself in the presence of “Paul and Silas”.

When we think through Luke's words in this verse, we learn how the “jailer” responded to “Paul's” instruction to not do himself any harm. When the “jailer” realized all the prisoners remained in the jail, he asked for a lamp, rushed into where Paul and Silas were located and prostrated himself before them. Not only was this “jailer” humbled, but he was terrified at what he just experienced. Sometimes God will allow a person to go thru a trial or difficulty just so they will call out to Him, and when they have submitted themselves to His Son Jesus as their personal “Savior and Lord”, He will forgive their sins, grant them everlasting life and guide them in their next steps with Him. Let all who read these words yield themselves to Jesus by falling down, humbling themselves in His presence and surrendering to whatever He says to do.

Next time Luke shares how the prison keeper asks, “what must I do to be saved?”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".