“But when the officers came and did not find them in the prison, they returned and reported, saying, ‘Indeed we found the prison shut securely, and the guards standing outside before the doors; but when we opened them, we found no one inside!’” Acts 5:22-23

Guarding an Empty Prison Cell

When I read the above Scripture, I smiled—the church was new and it clearly wasn’t okay with God that the temple officials were already trying to snuff out the gospel. God stepped in, told an angel to go get them out, and that was that. It was so easy for Him to intervene and change everything. The temple officials and guards must have felt foolish—they had been guarding an empty cell.

We often do the same thing, you know—guard an empty prison cell in our hearts. God has raised us from death into life; He has emptied the prison of our old life. He has literally released the prisoner—me. Us. It’s the same as when Jesus’s body was laid in the tomb, and guards were sent to watch over it to be sure His followers didn’t steal His body overnight. And yet, by the third day, the tomb was opened and empty. They had been guarding an empty tomb.

I like the comic strip Rose is Rose, where the mom often finds herself in a tall, spider-webbed dungeon, a ball and chain fastened to her ankle because of anger and grudges she holds. It is clearly a prison of her own making, and there she sits on the cold floor, arms wrapped around her knees, a pouty frown on her face. All it takes to release her is a kiss from her husband or some other loving act—and a willingness on her part to receive the release. 

I can almost hear her guarding the dungeon: “Don’t anybody clean up this place! I might want to go back in! I LIKE it in there! It’s MINE.”

If God has emptied whatever the prison cell represents in your life, don’t guard it any more. Put down your clenched fists. Don’t plan to go back in. You were a prisoner, but now you are free.

“Bring my soul out of prison, that I may praise Your Name; the righteous shall surround me, for You shall deal bountifully with me” (Psalm 142:7). Bread and water is given to prisoners; bounty is given to those who are free.

“But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: ‘A dog returns to his own vomit,’ and, ‘a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire” (2 Peter 2:22). I think we can all agree, we don’t want to be either of those.

“Lord, thank You for releasing us from the prison of our old life, our wrong thinking, our guilt and shame, our sins. If we are still in bondage to anything, reveal that to us; create in us a clean heart, and renew a right spirit within us. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”