Pastors Pen

Joy of the Lord

This week we get to look into an incredible chapter of the book of Acts. In chapter 16, beginning from verse 16, we find Paul and Silas in prison, and read how they got there, and what they did there. It’s a pretty amazing story.

How would you go in prison? I don’t know if I would be any good, and I’m only thinking of modern day prisons. The one Paul and Silas were in was pretty brutal and very basic. Definitely no WHS, and certainly no prisoners’ rights. Yet Paul and Silas find themselves singing and worshiping God. That is certainly amazing.

When I was on holiday, one of the books I was reading spoke a lot of the ‘Joy of the Lord’. Joy is a fruit of the Holy Spirit, and it is to be our strength. It got me wondering, because I had replaced joy with ‘grumpiness’. I think, if I was Paul or Silas, I would have been full of grumpiness.

Today, as everyday, we have another choice before us – do we thank God and praise Him for everything? Or do we get grumpy? I know what I would like to do.

God bless you one and all.

Only Jesus,
Dony
Pastor Dony Johnson

Featured image: Prison ruins at Philippi. Tradition has it that this is where Paul and Silas were imprisoned. Image from Flikr, by Serendigity, used under license CC BY 2.0.