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Acts 16:27-40
When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.” 29 And the jailer called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas. 30 Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31 And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” 32 And 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 wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family. 34 Then he brought them up into his house and set food before them. And he rejoiced along with his entire household that he had believed in God.
35 But when it was day, the magistrates sent the police, saying, “Let those men go.” 36 And the jailer reported these words to Paul, saying, “The magistrates have sent to let you go. Therefore come out now and go in peace.” 37 But Paul said to them, “They have beaten us publicly, uncondemned, men who are Roman citizens, and have thrown us into prison; and do they now throw us out secretly? No! Let them come themselves and take us out.” 38 The police reported these words to the magistrates, and they were afraid when they heard that they were Roman citizens. 39 So they came and apologized to them. And they took them out and asked them to leave the city. 40 So they went out of the prison and visited Lydia. And when they had seen the brothers, they encouraged them and departed.
I didn’t feel all that brave. But if only I’d known. Laurine told me, “You’re really brave going to see Bruce.” She had seen him, a Christian counselor. He had a huge impact in her life and the life of her husband. Others testified to his gifts and impact in their lives. “I’ve seen some powerful things happen in that room,” Linda told me. Indeed. So did I. I experienced them. And somehow those things impacted me.
I thought I was OK, a good guy, faithful pastor, loving husband, caring father. And maybe that’s all true. But sometime later I heard someone say, “He’s really changed. I can see it in him.” They were talking about me. The change had come in ways subtle to me, but noticeable to close friends and those two sisters in Christ. Maybe Diane as well. I don’t think I turned from a bad person into a good person. I suppose I was just more self aware. And self awareness enables a person to be more self-giving – if the Holy Spirit is at work in that self-aware person.
I wonder whether the people in Mr. Jailer’s household rejoiced that he had believed in God because that belief shaped his heart differently toward them. I wonder whether there was someone in their household who had been praying that God – the true God – would come into this man’s life. It’s not that God lives in a vacuum afterall. There were people in King Herod’s household who believed.
Perhaps there was a Mr. Jailer’s mother-in-law, or father who was praying that God would touch this man’s heart. And now their prayers were being answered – perhaps even beyond their imaginations. To become a God Fearer meant that a non-Jew would be sympathetic to the Jewish faith. They might observe certain of the Jewish customs, rites, and traditions. But they would not be fully Jewish. They would, however, respect and appreciate the Jewish faith, and morality. There is no evidence of any such person in Mr. Jailer’s household. But it is interesting to me that the whole household rejoiced that they had believed in God.
There may be a lost son, a wayward daughter, a stubborn husband, an estranged mother, or a good friend for whom you would rejoice were he or she to come to faith. Whether or not there was a person in Mr. Jailer’s household who was praying for his conversion we can only speculate. But there need be no speculation as to whether you can be the person who is praying for that certain someone. May God honor your prayers and bring him or her to Himself. Hopefully it won’t take an earthquake or a night in jail to make it happen!
David Bahn - Reflections 
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