Something came to mind as she sang about Paul and Silas in jail, and the earthquake setting them free.

I started thinking about the story… here they are, having been stripped of their clothing,  beaten, and thrown in prison, not JUST prison, but that “inner prison”, and feet bound in stocks. But they still did everything in their power to stay victorious. They praised and sang songs.

…And an earthquake came. Now I think even 2,000 years ago they knew that the best place to be in an earthquake is outside in the open. 

You probably need to get out of the building! Here they are locked down, can’t even protect themselves. 

I have to wonder, did Paul think…”REALLY?!  NOW what?! An earthquake?! Don’t we have ENOUGH to deal with right now? 

Here we are, after all we’ve been through, still praising and singing, and now an earthquake!  

"WHAT are you thinking, God?”

God doesn’t give us these flashing neon, warning signs, “Hang on, this is for your good!”  

If He let us in on his plan, it wouldn’t be a trial of our faith, but an endurance test. 

I think when that prison cell started shaking and moving, their first thoughts were, this is going to be the final straw. This is  going to take us out.

I mean, wouldn’t that be on your mind if your feet are locked down, you couldn’t run, and everything around you feels like it’s going to come crashing down?

But the earthquake was the answer to those prayers and the praise sent up! Deliverance was wrapped in what looked like was going to destroy them. Victory and freedom came in the form of an earthquake.

That earthquake broke the stocks loose, and leveled the walls.

Has it ever seemed that everything was off track, going wrong, and then an earthquake hits? And we think here we are doing our best, struggling through  battles and fights that we didn’t start, still trying to sing and praise- and an earthquake hits.

I don’t think it took Paul very long to recognize that earthquake had brought him freedom. Not only freedom to them, but a chance to witness to a terrified jailer, saving a life and a soul. But it took an earthquake.

I feel like someone may be in that midnight hour, earthquake stage, right now. When you thought it couldn’t get worse- everything around starts shaking and falling down around your head.  Hang on, keep praising, keep singing. Those bonds, those shackles, may need that earthquake to fall off. It may take an earthquake to bring down those prison walls.

I’ve had earthquakes that felt like was going to tear my world apart. Only to realize it had loosed shackles and broken chains.

That earthquake may be the answer to break the bonds, to set you free.

Freedom, victory, deliverance may be coming in the least anticipated, unexpected manner.

Don’t lose your song in the earthquake!

Used by permission.

Author DONITA WIGGINS

Until then……

Rhonda