In our previous meditation, we referred to Paul’s entrepreneurial spirit that made him turn negative things around for gospel purposes. He used his standing trial to preach the gospel to kings. His time in prison was used to pen down several epistles. Paul did more than writing in jail, he also turned it into a hall of prayer. The church he had helped found was a major item of his prayer while he was bodily absent from them.

The only rescue clause for Christianity to take back its glory is to contend for their kind of faith. It defies all odds and overcomes every assault of hell.

Most people in his condition would probably not pray at all as they may exhibit bitterness against God and man. The few who would pray will be too preoccupied with their own deliverance from the gulag to think of what was happening to other people. Here we see Paul exemplify the Master who even on the cross was praying for the salvation of mankind. Fredrick Faber wrote a hymn to praise the faith of our fathers. Their faith thrived in spite of imprisonment or threat of death. They kept the spiritual discipline of prayer and other duties even at the risk of their lives. Their brand of faith could not be intimidated, but overcame the most heinous program that hell could invent. By taking a stand, God came through for them with signs, miracles, and wondrous acts. The only rescue clause for Christianity to take back its glory is to contend for their kind of faith. It defies all odds and overcomes every assault of hell.