Open Doors for Peter

(Acts 12:6-17)

God is near to us in the darkest hours, when we feel helpless and hopeless.  

Prayer is the fine silver thread bridging the chasm between heaven and earth.  God specializes in things thought impossible.

This night was supposed to be Peter's last night on earth.  Tomorrow he would suffer the same fate as his co-worker James, the first of Jesus’ disciples to be martyred. 

While Peter was in prison, the church was meeting and praying around the clock for his release. This very night, King Herod would pronounce a death sentence over Peter. 

At day break an angel was sent to Peter’s prison cell and a miracle happened.

The angel told Peter to “stand up now!” As he stood, his chains fell off and he was immediately free. The soldiers Peter was chained to slept through it all, as though they had been sedated.

Miraculously the iron gate of the prison opened automatically, as well as the outer door of the compound. 

As Peter knocked on the gate leading to the street, a servant named Rhoda came to the gate.  Seeing him she was so excited and ran into the house where the church was praying, without unlocking the gate. 

When Rhoda said Peter was at the gate, those inside praying did not believe.   They thought her to be mad or insane.  Upon heard Peter's voice, they were astonished and ecstatic their prayers had been answered. 

As the angel on mission departed, Peter knew God had delivered him from the hand of Herod.  He did not yet know God had more than twenty years of service for him to perform.  Peter, (like all of the disciples other than John,) would be martyred for the sake of Gospel.

And a light shined in my cell,

And there was not any wall,

And there was no dark at all,

Only THOU, Emmanuel.

A.W.C. (Springs in the Valley)