Freedom
Day 512, Monday, Jan. 5
Acts 16:16-40
The best known miracle in today’s reading is the prison doors being opened for Paul and Silas after they had been arrested for preaching the word of God. During the night an earthquake shakes the prison and “At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose.”
Rather than flee, though, Paul and Silas stay where they are and bring good news to the jailer: “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.”
Jesus said he came to proclaim release to the prisoners, and sometimes that release is literal as it is in this case.
But looking back to the story that begins in verse 16 we see another kind of release from prison. A female slave is possessed by a spirit that allows her to tell the future, and her owner profits from it. Paul commands the spirit to leave her, and it does.
Her owners are angry about the healing because it deprives them of the money they were making off of her imprisonment.
It’s easy to dismiss this story as irrelevant to our day because it contains things we don’t usually experience: slavery, fortune-telling and exorcism.
But consider how often we come across people who profit off of other people’s imprisonment. It’s not just extreme examples like human trafficking and drug cartels and organized crime.

Think of how much of our “legitimate” economy is built on fear and envy and lust and covetousness and gluttony. Think of how much is built on actual addictions to drugs or alcohol or gambling. Profiting from other people’s imprisonment is not a thing of the past.

Be sure to notice verse 38, where the magistrates are alarmed to learn that Paul and Silas are Roman citizens. This will be important to later events.

-Rev. Mark Fleming

Monday meditation

Psalms 55:12-23
If an enemy were insulting me, I could endure it; if a foe were rising against me, I could hide. But it is you, a man like myself, my companion, my close friend, with whom I once enjoyed sweet fellowship at the house of God, as we walked about among the worshipers.
Let death take my enemies by surprise; let them go down alive to the realm of the dead, for evil finds lodging among them.
As for me, I call to God, and the Lord saves me. Evening, morning and noon I cry out in distress, and he hears my voice. He rescues me unharmed from the battle waged against me, even though many oppose me. God, who is enthroned from of old, who does not change—he will hear them and humble them, because they have no fear of God.
My companion attacks his friends; he violates his covenant. His talk is smooth as butter, yet war is in his heart; his words are more soothing than oil, yet they are drawn swords.
Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken. But you, God, will bring down the wicked into the pit of decay; the bloodthirsty and deceitful will not live out half their days.
But as for me, I trust in you.

Prayer focus
Lord, may we look at those who are in whatever prison holds them with compassion, not covetousness.