“Peter finally came to his senses. “It’s really true!” he said. “The Lord has sent his angel and saved me from Herod and from what the Jewish leaders had planned to do to me!” – Acts 12:11 (NLT)
King Herod had arrested some who belonged to the church, intending to persecute them. (v.1) He had James, one of the twelve, put to death by the sword, and seeing that James’ execution had been met with such approval among the Jews, he went after Peter also.
Herod’s timing was intentional, as there would be great sensationalism and publicity due to these events coinciding with the Passover festival. His plan was to bring Peter to trial and put him to death also, so he had Peter arrested and put in prison.
Peter was in dire circumstances. It seemed as if his impending execution was imminent. However, in the middle of the night, an angel of the Lord appeared to him and freed him from his shackles. Peter was initially in shock, but after some time, he realized what had happened and praised God for His deliverance.
While Peter was in prison, he had a number of people praying for him. We know this because Luke goes on to tell us in verse 12 that after the angel freed him from prison, Peter went directly to the house of Mary, the mother of John Mark, where many were gathered for prayer. “He knocked at the door in the gate, and a servant from the house came to open it. When she recognized Peter’s voice, she was so overjoyed that instead of opening the door, she ran back inside and told everyone, “Peter is standing at the door!” (vv. 13-14) They thought she had lost her mind. But when they realized she was speaking the truth, they were all amazed and celebrated what the Lord had done.
Sometimes, we may feel like we are imprisoned by our circumstances. We feel like we are trapped and there is no way out. But just as the Lord delivered Peter from his impossible situation, God is able to deliver us from ours. He has the power to break the chains of our oppression and set us free. We just need to pray, trust Him, and have faith that He will come through for us.
As we begin our day today, let us remember that God is always with us. No matter what trials we may face or what obstacles may stand in our way, He is able to rescue us and guide us through. Let us put our faith in Him and hold fast to the hope that He provides.
May the Lord bless you and guide you today in all that you do. Amen.
Former Blackout Artist 