"During the night, the angel of the Lord opened the doors of the prison,(and) led them out." Acts 5:18
It is one thing to be set free from prison, and quite another to live a new life. When the angel of the Lord freed the apostles from prison, they did as they were told by the angel. They proclaimed the Good News of Jesus Christ and risked their safety and lives. The real test of our faith is not that we believe quietly in our hearts, but that we announce what has happened to us despite the consequences.
Many of us are trapped in prisons of our own making. We may have had some success, or we are comfortable where we are in life, but when our success and comfort become ends in themselves we are imprisoned and without a defining voice. We speak kindly, we act gently, but our lives lack power because we never say anything that might risk our security. Too much of a good thing makes us boring. The Arabs say it this way, "All sunshine makes a desert."
Today's scriptures remind us of how fruitful the apostles' lives were when they stepped out of their fear and comfort to live the gospel in a much more public way. Their example is a powerful stimulus to us. Only when we rely totally on God can our lives have the transforming effect on others that the Lord intends.
Today, live your faith publicly.
What does it take to get you out of your comfort zone for the sake of the Gospel?
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