Getting To Know You

Acts 16:25-40

“About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them” (Acts 16:25). These words remind me of so many occasions when I’ve needed courage or hope. At times such as these I find it helpful to turn to familiar words: from scripture, from hymns, from faithful believers. Reflecting on such words allows me to use the hope expressed in them, to claim the faith to which they attest, to focus my needs on the presence of God. I’m sure many of you understand this and often do the same thing.

As a minister, however, I am aware of the fact that many Christians simply do not know the Bible or the hymns well enough to draw on them in times of need. To my mind this is a bit like having a life raft but not knowing how to inflate it. The folks who truly inspire me are the ones who know where to turn in times of crisis. It’s not that they can cite chapter and verse, it’s that they know and are comfortable with what God has to say through the written word or what the church has found meaningful in song.

There is another aspect to the account in Acts that deserves our attention. As Paul and Silas prayed and sang “the prisoners were listening to them.” The hope and confidence that Paul and Silas were able to draw from their tradition became a form of witness to those around them. Here is my challenge to all of you: if you can not recall a verse from scripture by heart, learn one––just one. It could be as simple as “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want” (Psalm 23:1). Then, once you are comfortable with that expression of faith, pick another to learn and to appreciate. As you begin to accumulate verses you will be filling a toolbox of faith that can be used in times of need. The same works with hymns, or with quotes from religious figures that help to put the faith into focus. If what we believe is really important to us we should learn to express it and to spend our days with it in a variety of ways. Paul and Silas did. Now it’s our turn.

Prayer: Lord, help us to grasp the meaning of your word and to carry it with us as we live so that we are never far from the guidance you offer. Amen.