“When Paul and Silas left the prison, they returned to the home of Lydia. There they met with the believers and encouraged them once more. Then they left town.”
Acts 16:40 (NLT)
God had already delivered Paul and Silas. He broke their chains, opened the prison doors, and gave them favor with the jailer, who welcomed them into his home. Then the officials sent word to Paul and Silas, telling them to go in peace. But they already have God’s peace. They are already under their Heavenly Father’s protection. He has already handled it.
But Paul still makes a point, not for his own pride, but to protect the believers in Philippi. He refuses to leave quietly, because he will not allow anyone else in the faith to endure what they endured. The reconciliation needs to happen publicly, so the whole community can see these officials are not going to persecute anybody else for following Jesus.
And then Paul and Silas do something that has gotten deep into my heart. They went back to the table at Lydia’s house. When it makes all the sense in the world to leave town, they insist on going back to the place where fruitful ministry is happening. They go there to encourage the believers once more, to strengthen them, to love on them, and be loved by them.
Life is always begging for us to leave the table. People are begging for us to go to work, go to the event, go to the gym, go to the game, and go do something. But the Word of God keeps calling us back, not to run from responsibility, but to be filled again. So today, let’s go back to the table and let the Lord encourage us there. When we’re encouraged, strengthened, and loved around the table, we can successfully go do ministry in our community. Not with an empty cup, but with full hearts, full bellies, full minds, full strength, and full faith.