Acts 16:25-40 What kind of men are these?

Acts 16:25-40 What kind of men are these?

25About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. 26Suddenly there was an earthquake, so violent that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were unfastened. 27When the jailer woke up and saw the prison doors wide open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, since he supposed that the prisoners had escaped. 28But Paul shouted in a loud voice, "Do not harm yourself, for we are all here." 29The jailer called for lights, and rushing in, he fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. 30Then he brought them outside and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" 31They answered, "Believe on the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household." 32They spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. 33At the same hour of the night he took them and washed their wounds; then he and his entire family were baptized without delay. 34He brought them up into the house and set food before them; and he and his entire household rejoiced that he had become a believer in God.
What is happening in this scripture? Paul and Silas had been arrested and thrown into prison. There were praying and singing. Other prisoners were listening. An earthquake comes suddenly, shaking the prison and all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were unfastened. The jailer awakes and sees all the open doors. Immediately he draws his sword to kill himself, rather than suffer the wrath of his superiors. Paul shouts out, “Do not harm yourself! We are all still here!” The jailer rushes in and falls down trembling before Paul and Silas. He takes them outside, presumably by now the doors are relocked and the chains refastened to the others. He asks them what he must do to be saved?

How is this happening in the world today? – Imagine for a moment that you are this jailor. It shouldn’t be too hard to do. Your prisoners are chained, but you are the one in prison. You are imprisoned by your job and responsibilities, or your relationship with someone, or your resentments, or your pain. Your wounds are very old friends by now. Obviously, to make a mistake means harsh repercussions, else why would you rather face death at your own hands rather than face your superiors? You are the jailor. Two itinerant prophets or preachers have been beaten and thrown into your jail. Someone is praying. Someone you have enslaved. Can you hear them? What is that song they are singing? Why can you not turn away?
Soon you are asleep. You are shocked awake by the very earth moving under your tired legs. The ground on which you stand and live quakes. Suddenly, everything you’ve ever tied down, hidden, kept secret, chained, is free. Oh my God! You’ve lost control! What will happen to you when others find out? Better you should be dead maybe? A voice cries out. Do not harm yourself! We are still here! Your head is spinning. This doesn’t make sense. This isn’t the way the world works. You hate the way things work, but at least you are used to that reality. The terror grips you. You run into the first man, who has ever cared about what you might do to yourself.. This crazy old preacher and his friend: you thought you had captured them, but they have captured you instead. Their courage! You’ve seen a lot of men, seen them cry, beg for mercy, or try to kill you with their rage. You’ve never seen men such as these. You collapse at their feet. Whatever is happening to you, somehow you know you need this, more than anything you’ve ever needed. You’ve never felt this alive, this free before. You take these men to your home and you ask, What must I do to be saved, saved from that terrible imprisonment you don’t ever want to return to. What must you do?

How is this story my story? – God, you know where my chains are. You know where my prison lies. You have already opened the doors and loosened my shackles. I cannot turn away from your promise, but dare I walk out into your freedom? Can I handle the terrifying choices?