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| "Peter Released from Prison by an Angel" - from Treasures of the Bible |
TODAY'S SPECIAL: Acts 11-12; Psalm 124
TO CHEW ON: "… he (Peter) declared to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. … And he departed and went to another place." Acts 12:17
I have sometimes wondered, as I read this story and others in Acts, why God didn't do the entire job—here get the angel to deliver Peter out of danger completely. Instead, he just brought Peter through the prison gates, down the first street and poof! he was gone (Acts 12:10).
After telling his story to his friends at Mary's house, Peter had to use his common sense and decide what to do next. It was obviously not safe to stick around so, though it was the middle of the night, he "departed and went to another place" - Acts 12:17.
Perhaps this is how we should expect God to work in our lives too. He can, and sometimes does intervene miraculously when the situation is beyond us. But He doesn't do for us what we can do for ourselves, or take us permanently out of trouble and persecution. It is commonly thought that Peter died by crucifixion.
However, no doubt because of his own experience with it, Peter left us with some powerful benefits of suffering in his first letter:
- It proves the authenticity of our faith - 1 Peter 1:6,7.
- Suffering for righteousness brings a blessing - 1 Peter 3:14.
- It purifies us - 1 Peter 4:1.
- Through suffering we identify with Christ in a unique way - 1 Peter 4:12,13.
- In suffering we experience the Holy Spirit and God's glory - 1 Peter 4:14, Acts 7:55.
So, it's not that God can't do the whole job, but that He knows we'll get a greater benefit from going through the tough stuff than floating over it.
PRAYER: Dear God, when I'm in the middle of a hard patch, please help me to remember that You allow suffering for my good—even though it doesn't feel good at the time. Amen.
PSALM TO PRAY: Psalm 124
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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
