Jail time ∙∙

Jail time ∙∙

Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men.” – Acts 5:29

Acts 16:22-32

22 A mob quickly formed against Paul and Silas, and the city officials ordered them stripped and beaten with wooden rods.
23 They were severely beaten, and then they were thrown into prison. The jailer was ordered to make sure they didn’t escape.

24 So the jailer put them into the inner dungeon and clamped their feet in the stocks.
25 Around midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening.

26 Suddenly, there was a massive earthquake, and the prison was shaken to its foundations. All the doors immediately flew open, and the chains of every prisoner fell off!
27 The jailer woke up to see the prison doors wide open. He assumed the prisoners had escaped, so he drew his sword to kill himself.
28 But Paul shouted to him, “Stop! Don’t kill yourself! We are all here!”
29 The jailer called for lights and ran to the dungeon and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas.

30 Then he brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
31 They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, along with everyone in your household.”
32 And they shared the word of the Lord with him and with all who lived in his household.

The Arrest of Fannie Lou Hamer

On June 9, 1963, Fannie Lou Hamer, alongside six other Black individuals, faced firsthand the sting of injustice at a Greyhound bus terminal in Winona, Mississippi. When they stopped to eat at the “whites only” lunch counter, their mere presence was perceived as defiance. Without hesitation, Winona Police Chief Thomas Herrod ordered them to relocate to the “colored” side of the depot. They refused. Standing firm in their dignity, they were arrested and thrown into jail.

What followed was horrific. Each member of the group endured severe beatings, but Hamer’s assault was particularly brutal, leaving her with injuries from which she would never fully recover. The physical pain she bore for the rest of her life was unfathomable, but what emerged from her suffering was a spiritual resilience that refused to be silenced.

Courageous Singing in the Face of Adversity

While her body was battered, Hamer’s heart and spirit remained unyielding. Her time in that jail cell became a defining moment. Though she spent the night in agonizing silence, reflecting on the injustice done to her and her companions, something remarkable happened the following day. Instead of succumbing to despair, Hamer used the one thing that could not be taken from her—her voice.

Known for her powerful and resonant singing, Fannie Lou Hamer lifted her voice in the stark confines of the Winona jail. The very mouth that had screamed in pain began to declare hope and freedom with unwavering clarity. She sang words that echoed the cries of the oppressed across generations:

“Paul and Silas were bound in jail, let my people go.
Had no money to go their bail, let my people go.

Paul and Silas began to shout, let my people go.
Jail doors open, and they walked out, let my people go.”

Her song not only exemplified courage but also elevated the spirits of those around her, even amid unimaginable suffering.

The Heart That Chooses Joy

Doing the right thing often comes at a cost, and Hamer knew this truth intimately. Her activism and unwillingness to remain silent brought her both harm and hardship. Yet even in her darkest moments, she showed that adverse circumstances do not have to define your response.

When pain, injustice, or oppression strikes, we too face a choice. Will we complain and sink into bitterness, or will we find reasons to be grateful, even in affliction? Fannie Lou Hamer’s radiant spirit teaches us to choose the latter. She modeled a life of rejoicing even when the world gave her every reason to despair.

Hamer’s life reminds us that the voice of freedom cannot be silenced. No matter how deep the wounds, songs of hope still arise. May we stand with such unshaken faith, finding strength to transform adversity into a demonstration of unrelenting grace.

REFLECT & PRAY

Courage and cowardice lurk in each of our hearts. We imagine both fleeing from danger and standing firm.

Father, I long to have the courage to stand firm for You. Encourage me to stand for You right and keep right on standing!

INSIGHT

Boldness in the Face of Adversity

Standing for the Father, sharing His truth, bringing joy to others, and enduring the consequences are not optional for the children of God. It is a calling, a requirement for those who follow Him. The only question remains: Will we obey?

The Boldness of the Apostles

Picture the scene in Acts 4 and 5. The early church is growing rapidly as more people accept Jesus Christ as their Messiah and Savior. The Gospel, accompanied by miraculous signs performed by the apostles, draws many to the Way. But this bold proclamation alarms the religious leaders, who seek to silence the truth. The apostles were busted for publicly proclaiming the truth.

The apostles, unwavering in their courage, defy the warnings of the religious authorities. Unintimidated, time and again, they return to the streets to preach the Word. Their boldness confounds the leaders who arrest and threaten them. Brought before the authorities, they face the very real possibility of severe punishment.

“It is a tense moment. They have been duly warned, and now they can be convicted and severely punished. Peter, as always, speaks up for the group. Putting in positive form . . . this bold apostle now declares for all time: We must obey God rather than any human authority!” (Acts 5:29) (Chalmer Ernest Faw).

Trusting God in the Fire

This same kind of courage can be seen in the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. When faced with Nebuchadnezzar’s command to bow before the golden statue, they refused. Their allegiance to God was not negotiable.

Daniel 3:16-18 captures their response to the king’s threats of a fiery death. They declared, “We do not need to defend ourselves before you. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. But even if he doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.”

What remarkable faith! They trusted God’s power to save them but remained steadfast even in the uncertainty of their deliverance.

Nebuchadnezzar’s fury was intense as he ordered the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual. The three men were bound and thrown into the roaring flames. But what followed was nothing short of miraculous.

Daniel 3:24-25 recounts how the king, astonished, exclaimed, “Look! I see four men, unbound, walking around in the fire unharmed! And the fourth looks like a god!”

When Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego emerged from the furnace, not a hair on their heads was singed, their clothes were untouched by the flames, and they didn’t even smell of smoke (Daniel 3:27).

Nebuchadnezzar, deeply moved by this display of divine power, declared in Daniel 3:28: “Praise to the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego! He sent his angel to rescue his servants who trusted in him. They defied the king’s command and were willing to die rather than serve or worship any god except their own God.”

Rejoicing in Suffering

Their unwavering faith echoes the joy that fills the hearts of the faithful even in the face of trials. Consider the Philippian jailer in Acts 16. After witnessing God’s power through Paul and Silas, he believed in God with his whole household. His joy overflowed, and he invited the apostles into his home, served them food, and rejoiced greatly.

The Greek word translated as rejoice is agalliao. Agalliao means “to exult, rejoice greatly, or experience ecstatic joy and delight.” In the New Testament, “it always signifies a deep spiritual joy.” Such joy or happiness is often expressed idiomatically, for instance, “Their hearts were singing” (UBS). This joy, rooted in faith, is a reflection of the ultimate promise for believers.

Jude captures it beautifully in Jude 1:24: “Now all glory to God, who is able to keep you from falling and will bring you with great joy into his glorious presence without a single fault.”

When we stand for the Father, spreading His truth and enduring the consequences, we follow in the footsteps of countless faithful servants who came before us. The fire may rage around us, but the presence of God is far greater. Like those who preceded us, we can step into His joy, knowing that no trial, suffering, or furnace can separate us from His love. May we trust Him today and every day.

¯_(ツ)_/¯3-16-2

© Dr. H 2025