Acts 12: 1-24
Friday, 11 December 2020
Suddenly an angel of the Lord stood there, and a light shone in the cell. The angel shook Peter by the shoulder, woke him up, and said, "Hurry! Get up!" At once the chains fell off Peter's hands…."Put your cloak around you and come with me." (Acts 12:7-8)
God’s supernatural intervention in the life of Peter is the context of our reading today. After putting James, the disciple to death (supported by the Jews as well), Herod was confident to proceed with his plans to execute Peter. Herod did not know that he had overstepped his boundaries and provoked God to step into the situation. Whenever there is no one bold enough to challenge the occurrence of the highest level of wickedness, God is always provoked to step in.
Nothing takes God by surprise, he knows everything that goes on in our lives. He is the one who created us, he knew us even before we were born. Our birth was not a mistake, our parents may not have planned us, but God did! Long before we were conceived by our parent, we were conceived in the mind of God and He prescribed every single detail in us. (Adapted: Purpose Driven Life: Rick Warren)
It doesn’t matter how much the enemy may have tormented our lives to reduce our strength. One thing that is very sure- when GOD steps in, there is always a dramatic transformation and He never leaves us where He met us. The intervention of the Most High in such situations as Peter’s release proves that no authority instituted by men can halt the advances of His supremacy. God does not need our permission to step into any situation that demands His attention; He is fully informed and never too late, but always acts on time. He settles everything for His glory.
Peter believed and trusted in the Lord his God, but came face to face with the king’s authority by being imprisoned. God knew what was happening, but Peter did not. All he knew was that, he was in jail; he wasn’t aware of the Lord’s rescue mission to deliver him. God did not send an advance prophetical revelation about His rescue plan to get Peter out. But the church gathered to pray (Acts 12:12) and God responded!
Most times when we are in difficult, discouraging and challenging moments in life, we may think God is too far from us, or unaware of what is happening around us. Sometimes we keep knocking at His door asking him to speak in and intervene in the situation, forgetting that he is well informed and his rescue plans are all set in place. All we need to do is appreciate Him, trust Him, waiting to see the demonstration of His mighty power!
Sometimes we are unable to face the enemy’s challenges. God is fully aware of our strength, weaknesses and limitations—this is why He steps in with His supreme authority to display His might in situations too heavy for us to handle. Most times when God steps into the situation, we may think it’s a dream. Little do we realize that our Maker and Great Deliverer is at work! Psalm 112:2 says: “Because He has inclined His ear to me, Therefore I will call upon Him as long as I live.”
Peter must have been taken aback by the rescue mission by God through the angel—he wasn’t aware initially. When God steps into our situation, he always leaves us with great surprises as he opens our minds by leading us to something new. A new sense of confidence, direction, trust, dependency and commitment is always planted into our hearts, adding to that which is already in place in our lives before the Lord God steps in.
You are who you are for a reason;
You’re part of an intricate plan;
You’re a precious and perfect unique design,
Called God’s special woman or man.
~Russell Kelfer