Christian Family Services Ministry

11-8-2021 – A Word to the Wise – There are some stories that just grab your heart and turn you upside down. One such story appears in Acts 12. Perhaps because it so accurately describes us.

Let me retell the story for you. It is around the first of May. King Herod (Agrippa (41-44 A.D.) is having a jolly time going after Christians. He kills James, the brother of John, and then has Peter arrested and thrown into prison. It was shortly before Passover, and as if being imprisoned wasn’t enough- he also had him placed in shackles and linked by chains to two guards and then had two more guards with them inside the cell.

It is the night before Passover, and can you believe that Peter is asleep in his prison cell? He is going to be killed the next day, he’s chained to two guards, and is sleeping like a baby! Some people can sleep absolutely anywhere!

Meanwhile, close friends, faithful followers of Jesus are praying for Peter- begging the Lord to intervene. Their prayers go on past midnight.

Back at the prison, Peter’s personal guardian angel appears!

The angel sees the situation, walks over and kicks Peter in the side. “Get up, now. sleepy-head!”

Peter feels the chains fall off, and gets up. The angel tells him to get dressed, hurry putting on his sandals! “Come on, Peter we need to get out of here.”

The angel then leads him past two other sleeping guards, brings him to a locked iron gate. It swings open and the two walk down the street. Can you just imagine the sight of this huge angel, with his arms around Peter walking down an empty street? How would you like to see a Facebook picture of that scene!

This whole time, Peter thinks he’s having a vision. Peter finally figures out that it’s no vision- that indeed, the Lord sent his angel to rescue him.

He goes to the home of the mother of John Mark, where a large group of Christians are praying for Peter. I suppose they are praying that his death would be quick. A maid answers the door where Peter was pounding. Rhoda recognizes Peter and delirious with joy runs to tell the praying group that Peter is here!

The group tells her she is crazy, that it’s just his angel, Peter is dead. Peter finally convinces this group, which has been praying for him, that indeed he is alive and had been rescued by a bad-tempered angel.

Now isn’t that just like us, we beg and pray, and cry to the Lord. He gives what we beseech him for and we do not even recognize it.