The Rescuing of Obedience

Many times, I have come to my children saying, “Come on we have to go, hurry up and put your coat and shoes on.” Sometimes this happens because something unexpected has come up and we have to leave and have to leave right then. This usually causes stress for my children, because they were not expecting me to interrupt what they were doing. 

In Acts 12:5-11 there is a story about Peter being in prison and how an angel came to his rescue. The story is that while Peter was in prison he was guarded by 16 guards and his friends of the church were praying for his release. On the night before Peter was to be brought forth before King Herod, he was asleep between two soldiers, bound with chains and was also being guarded by the soldiers who were at the front of the prison.

As he laid there asleep the Bible says that an angel suddenly appeared to him along with a light. The angel struck Peter on his side to wake him up and said, “Gird yourself, and put on your sandals” and Peter did as the angel said. Then the angel told Peter “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me.” And Peter did this as well. The Bible says as Peter followed this angel he led him past the first and the second ward of the prison, and then through the iron gate that led to the city outside the prison. The Bible says when they got to this gate it just opened for them and they were able to pass through. When they went through this gate and got to the street the Bible says that the angel immediately left Peter and  when Peter came to himself he said, “Now I know for sure that the Lord has sent forth His angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.”

This whole scene seems very chaotic, scary, unimaginable, and yet very exciting as well. I can't imagine what had to have been going through Peter's mind. The Bible says Peter was not even sure if he was imagining this or not, however, he still obeyed what the angel told him to do, which was key for his rescue that night. For him, it all came down to obeying and obeying precisely as the angel told him. Imagine an angel of the Lord being bright, brilliant, and magnificent and you're the only one who sees and hears it, and you're escaping with this angel who has come to your rescue. What a scene this had to have been and for Peter. I imagine he had to have wondered if those soldiers lying next to him would wake up or not, and yet in God's infinite power they didn't. Then at the end when Peter said that his angel had delivered him from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting is certainly a strong and powerful statement and realization on his part. He knew it was his God who had ultimately come to his rescue. It reminds me of when people will say that God is never late- He may show up at the last minute, but He is never late. God works in mysterious ways as we all know, and none know better than perhaps Peter. 

This story should also remind us of how powerful God and his angels that are assigned to us are, and how He works in such wondrous and powerful ways. It reminds me of when I have had to tell my children to hurry up and have given them instructions to get their things together, so we could leave in a hurry and when they follow through with it we can leave on time. For Peter, this is true as well. For him he had to be obedient and not even question or argue with the angel that night, he just had to act in obedience and that is what saved his life. What happened that night is an awesome story and testimony not only for those who were praying for this release but also for those of us today.

Each of us has to first of all trust and believe in God in every situation no matter what it is. No matter how impossible it may look and seem at the time, we have to know God has all things under control and He is never late when it comes to helping and rescuing us. We also need to remember that whatever God tells us to do in that sudden moment we are to do it, and not question or argue with Him. We are to act in obedience and then later as Peter did, take the time to think about what happened. There are those times when God shows up in our lives saying something for us to do and we have a second to respond with either obedience or not and depending on what we choose is what determines the outcome of our lives or perhaps someone's else's life. 

So first know that God is always aware of what you need and will meet that need. Second, always choose obedience no matter how crazy it looks or sounds, and then watch what happens because of your obedience. It's at that moment of obedience when you will be seeing the miraculous at work in your own life and will be left in astonishment just as Peter and his friends were- all because of your obedience. 

From Gardens of Splendor by Gina Burns