Passage of the Day:
It was about this time that King Herod arrested some who belonged to the church, intending to persecute them. 2 He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword. 3 When he saw that this met with approval among the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. This happened during the Festival of Unleavened Bread. 4 After arresting him, he put him in prison, handing him over to be guarded by four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring him out for public trial after the Passover. 5 So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him. 6 The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries stood guard at the entrance. 7 Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. “Quick, get up!” he said, and the chains fell off Peter’s wrists. 8 Then the angel said to him, “Put on your clothes and sandals.” And Peter did so. “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me,” the angel told him. 9 Peter followed him out of the prison, but he had no idea that what the angel was doing was really happening; he thought he was seeing a vision. 10 They passed the first and second guards and came to the iron gate leading to the city. It opened for them by itself, and they went through it. When they had walked the length of one street, suddenly the angel left him, Acts 12:1-10.
Reflection:
As Luke recounts the angel encounter in today’s featured passage, Peter gives the impression that he is experiencing some sort of a vivid dream. Perhaps, Peter was thinking, “is this really happening?” It wasn’t until this angel suddenly disappeared when Peter realized that was a supernatural prison breakout. When one of the members of Jesus’ inner circle was killed, King Herod targets Peter who is arrested and about to face trial. Like a scene from a movie with a prison break, this angel of God pulled off a miracle worthy enough for the Bible.
Prayerful Action:
Praise the Lord, you his angels, you mighty ones who do his bidding, who obey his word. 21 Praise the Lord, all his heavenly hosts, you his servants who do his will, Psalm 103:20-21.
Developing the Spiritual Guts to Press On:
One New Testament author reminds readers to entertain angels or be open to the possibilities of some sort of divine intervention, Hebrews 13:2. Meanwhile, David reminds Israel of the role that God’s angels play in life, serving the kingdom of God to fulfill the Lord’s will. Unfortunately, when doubt enters the minds of Christians, this diminishes God’s power to perform miracles in your life. May today’s devotion open your mind to the possibility of God performing a similar miracle in your life today.
Song of the Day:
Final Thoughts:
One of my favorite discussions as a Bible teacher was sharing angel stories from family members and relatives. May today’s song refresh your memory of times when God actually sent an angel to you in your time of need.
by Jay Mankus
ExpressYourself4Him 