Wednesday is one of my favorite days of the week, because some excellent “word” happens not only here, but on other blogs around the web. If you’ve never checked out Jessica Patch’s blog for her version of Word Wednesday, you’re’ missing out! As always here, check out this week’s book (Acts) and let us know in the comments what God says to you. Next week, we roll full steam into Romans!
Acts 12: 5-6a, 7b (NIV)–So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him. The night before Herod was to bring him to trial… the chains fell off Peter’s wrists.
I cut a verse because I wanted to pull the two major things that “get me” together.
Peter is in prison. Herod has just put James to death, which pleases the Jews, so he snags Peter. From the outside, things are bleak. He’s in prison under heavy guard with certain persecution and almost certain death hanging over him. Believers all over gather to pray for Peter.
For days, nothing happens. Peter stays chained and under guard. It seems God is silent. Then, on the night before Peter’s “trial…”
Deliverance.
With God, there is no last minute, is there? Oh, for us it sure feels that way, when we’ve prayed and prayed and we’re thirty seconds to zero hour and still waiting, yep… That sure feels like desperation to me.
But here’s what I love about this story… The church kept praying. It’s the night before Peter will be brought forth for a sham trial, and there’s no record of them giving up, no hint of despair. In fact, when Peter shows up at Mary’s house, it’s filled with people praying even up to the “last minute.” They never gave up on God, never stopped believing He could free Peter. And look what happened! Peter showed up at the door, free as only God can make a man, just before the last grain of sand dropped from the hourglass.
It’s so easy to give up, isn’t it? Despair is a lot easier to sink into than hope is to hang onto sometimes. There’s a major lesson here, and I think it’s that we shouldn’t try to put God into our boxes. Time isn’t relevant to Him, action is. And boy, aren’t we glad He’s not like us? “Just in the nick of time,” He saves us. And His timing is always right. I love it.
Now, if I could just remember it…
-JB
Jen says
Wow….. This one brought me to tears. I’ve been praying my heart out for months asking God to set someone free, and while I know He’s capable of doing so, I had all but given up hope. I needed a reminder of God’s faithfulness in the worst way, so thank you.
Jodie says
Yay, God! His timing is AMAZING!!!!!
Jessica R. Patch says
AWESOME! God is able to break chains, open doors, and direct you when no one else can see what’s going on!
My fav part of this story, Chickie shuts the door in Peter’s face! She’s so excited she forgets to let him in! I can see Peter standing out there…”Seriously? You’re going to leave me out here?” lol
Great, great post!
I read your post on your updates. Praying that editor loves the book! 🙂 Fast cars, strong heroes. What’s not to love? 🙂
Jodie says
I love those little things God drops into the Bible almost like comic relief. I’ve always laughed at Balaam and his donkey. Balaam actually ANSWERED the donkey like this happened to him every day. Anyway, God breaking chains… it’s the theme of my life. And thanks for the prayers!
Dawn Lucowitz says
This week I am choosing a verse in Acts that was very personal to me a little over a year ago.
As a baby I was baptized and grew up going to church and Sunday school as a kid. As we started to get older we didn’t go quite as much. I always believed in God and enjoyed church, but I always felt I was missing something. When I was in high school I had a friend a few years older who made such an impression on my life. She and her family were such amazing people. She always seemed happy and at peace and whatever it was she had going on, I wanted it. We talked a lot and I started to get more spiritual again, but then I went off to college and didn’t really pursue church and God much anymore. Church wasn’t a big thing where I was living, or among my friends. Finally years later, after I was married and living at Fort Drum, I started really seeking God again. I found a great small, intimate service of people who really loved and worshiped God. I got connected to a few great bible studies not too long after that. I found people who really lived a Godly life and I wanted that so much for me.
While I was in a Study on 1 Peter at Fort Campbell, I was particularly struck and convicted by 1 Peter 3:18-22 that discussed baptism by water. Not long before reading this our church had offered a baptism for those wanting to be baptized. I was interested, but wasn’t sure I was ready for that. I didn’t really understand the importance of baptism at that point. After our study in 1 Peter, more and more about baptism kept coming up in my world. Then I came to Acts, and the verse that I wanted to share this week. Acts 22:16 – “And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name.”
Well, it could not have been stated any clearer to me than that. On 4 July, 2010, I stopped waiting around and got baptized. It was one of the most amazing days of my life.
Jodie says
I love it when God gets that personal. When you hit Acts 22:16, it actually gave me chills. Let me tell you something, girl… You have one amazing heart for God, and it is obvious you truly find Him when you study His word, because He for sure speaks to you. I wish I could have been there!