8th September

An anxious heart ways a man down, but a kind word cheers him up. A righteous man is cautious in friendship, but the way of the wicked lays them astray . Proverbs 12, 25 & 26

This is what the Lord says to the house of Israel: "Seek me and live." Amos 5, 4

Don't hurt yourself

It is night and the prison doors are bolted. The evangelists Paul and Silas are solidly locked in. The prisoner's feet are chained. Every escape from prison seems impossible and yet all of a sudden there is a big earthquake so that the prison's foundations are shaken. At the same moment all the prison doors open and the prisoners are freed from their chains. The watchman wakes up upset: prisoners who flee, investigation, his guiltiness, his career is shattered and his honour is lost! He takes his sword and wants to kill himself (Acts 16, 27).

Nearly twenty centuries have past. And still every day there are hopeless men and women who only see one way out of their situation: to commit suicide. In order to dissuade them from doing this irreparable thing we can only invite them to listen to what the apostle Paul shouts to the watchman: "Don't hurt yourself". No, it is not his sword which will deliver this man, it is only God who can give him the strength to live. So he shouts: "What do I have to do to be saved?" - Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved." In this moment he receives the true deliverance. He is saved from death for eternity and he doesn't think about committing suicide anymore. He has peace with God and rejoices with his whole family. He takes care of the injured feet of his prisoners. It is the beginning of a new life with faith in the Son of God.