Good Morning Friends,
“It was about this time that King Herod
arrested some who belonged to the church, intending to persecute them. He had
James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword. When he saw that this
pleased the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. This happened during the
Feast of Unleavened Bread. After arresting him, he put him in prison.” (Acts
12:1-4)
“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. 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. Peter followed him out of the
prison.” (Acts 12:7-9)
Acts 12 is a study in God’s sovereignty and,
from a human perspective, His unfairness.
James was executed for his faith and God did
not intervene to rescue him. James was an apostle, an important leader in the
early church. He had been one of the three who were closest to Jesus during His
ministry. He had years of life and service left that he could have given to the
church. But, God chose to allow James to die. God didn’t kill James -- Herod,
inspired by the devil, killed him -- but God had the power to rescue James and
chose to do nothing.
Peter faced a similar fate. He was arrested,
just like James had been. He was awaiting trial, being guarded by four soldiers
to be sure that no one broke into the jail to release him. But no amount of
guards can stand in the way of God. In the middle of the night, God released
Peter from his jail. Peter’s chains fell off, the guards remained sleeping, and
Peter was led by an angel out of the jail to freedom.
Why did God allow James to be killed and
Peter to be rescued? We ask that same question as we look around at what
happens in the lives of people. Why does one person die of cancer at 32 and
another, no more righteous or useful to God, live to be 96? There is only one
answer to those questions: God is sovereign.
We can’t understand His choices, but we
recognize His right to make them, and trust His wisdom and love.
His, by Grace,
Steve
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