Driving

home from the Toronto airport one evening in January, I knew I had to

be careful. A January thaw had settled in, but the weather was

turning quickly. The forecast called for precipitation, and in the

cooling temperatures that could bring a mix of snow and freezing

rain.

Driving

in those conditions can be stressful. But one thing that helped me

was a gauge on my dashboard showing the temperature outside. Knowing

that the temperature remained above freezing assured me that ice was

not forming on the roads.

That

gave me a helpful way to think about prayer. What we know on the

inside can affect the way we deal with situations on the outside. In

today’s Bible reading, for example, we see Paul and Silas

overflowing with the peace of God even though they had been severely

beaten, put in stocks, and imprisoned. And through them, the other

prisoners were hearing about the amazing love and power of the Lord.

Then

God did some amazing things, opening up the prison and loosening

everyone’s chains. What’s more, the jailer and his household came

to faith and new life in Jesus!

In

our difficult situations, the peace of God can fill us and overflow

into the lives of others too. In prayer, we connect with and grow

closer to God, who has all the power in heaven and earth at his

command. Imagine what God can do in response to our prayers!