Get Up Quickly!

SCRIPTURE

Peter and Paul, Apostles
Acts 12:1-11 (NRSV)

About that time King Herod laid violent hands upon some who belonged to the church. He had James, the brother of John, killed with the sword. After he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. (This was during the festival of Unleavened Bread.) When he had seized him, he put him in prison and handed him over to four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending to bring him out to the people after the Passover. While Peter was kept in prison, the church prayed fervently to God for him.
The very night before Herod was going to bring him out, Peter, bound with two chains, was sleeping between two soldiers, while guards in front of the door were keeping watch over the prison. Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He tapped Peter on the side and woke him, saying, "Get up quickly." And the chains fell off his wrists. The angel said to him, "Fasten your belt and put on your sandals." He did so. Then he said to him, "Wrap your cloak around you and follow me." Peter went out and followed him; he did not realize that what was happening with the angel's help was real; he thought he was seeing a vision. After they had passed the first and the second guard, they came before the iron gate leading into the city. It opened for them of its own accord, and they went outside and walked along a lane, when suddenly the angel left him. Then Peter came to himself and said, "Now I am sure that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hands of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting."


DEVOTION

Today's scripture reading makes me giggle because it reminds me of the importance of radical obedience to God.

I am quite sure that if an angel appeared to me in Peter's circumstances, rather than being quiet, quick and obedient, I would have been asking a million questions. Who are you? Why are you here? What took you so long? Where are we going? Why are we going this way and not that way? And so on and so on...

Sometimes we just need to learn to hear and heed the voice of God, trusting that God will not lead us astray.

Especially when we have been praying for a miracle, or a supernatural rescue, we need to be open to God's manifestation of the same to appear in ways we may not have ever imagined.

So often when we are in trouble, we try to dictate to God how it is that we should be rescued. We "write" a prescription through our prayers that we expect God to fulfill.

But, God does not work like this my friends! God is The Sovereign of the universe. God is in complete control. God sees the end, before it begins and God is well able to rescue us from anything that befalls us.

In general, I think that God welcomes our questions. God is not threatened by our curiosity. But, sometimes, we just need to learn to walk by faith and not by sight.

Peter was able to do just that and was thus, and therefore, rescued in a most unusual way. May each of us find the courage to follow God wherever we are led and to trust Almighty God's ability to save us whenever we are in trouble.


Let us pray:

God and gracious God, I am so glad that you are in total control of all things. I believe, please help Thou my unbelief. Please fill me up to overflowing with your Holy Spirit so that I can walk in radical obedience to your Word and please help me to share your love and care with others, in Jesus' Name, Amen.


INVITATION

If you have questions about how to become a friend and follower of Jesus, please see the devotion entitled, “Come to Jesus” @ http://bit.ly/JVhaLta

To GOD be the glory!

SCRIPTURE

Acts 12:20-25 (NRSV)
A leader fails to give glory to God

Now Herod was angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon. So they came to him in a body; and after winning over Blastus, the king's chamberlain, they asked for a reconciliation, because their country depended on the king's country for food. On an appointed day Herod put on his royal robes, took his seat on the platform, and delivered a public address to them. The people kept shouting, "The voice of a god, and not of a mortal!" And immediately, because he had not given the glory to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died.

But the word of God continued to advance and gain adherents. Then after completing their mission Barnabas and Saul returned to Jerusalem and brought with them John, whose other name was Mark.

DEVOTION

Have mercy, JESUS!

Today’s scripture makes me mighty glad for the amazing grace of God! Aren’t you happy-glad that every time we fail to give glory to God, we aren’t struck down by an avenging angel, eaten by worms, and killed?

Wow!

If we keep it real with ourselves--and with God--we know that there have been many times when we have missed out on opportunities to glorify God to our neighbors, friends, family members, colleagues, and even our enemies.

We have accepted the praise of others, when we know good and well that if it had not been for the Lord on our side, we would have failed (or flopped) utterly.

In my preaching ministry, I am often complimented after the service as people leave the building. I am often tempted to get a “big head” as person after person passes through the line, shakes my hand, and tells me what a wonderful job that I did. But, my mother taught me long ago that there is only one response to such praise, “Thank you so much. To GOD be the glory!”

Now, I will confess that this phrase rolls right off of my tongue as it relates to my preaching ministry, because I know that only God could cause me to do what I do on Sunday mornings.

But, I want to encourage all of us—myself included--to remember to give God the glory in other (I mean all) circumstances as well.

For instance, when someone praises us for the behavior of our children, our response should be “Thank you so much. To GOD be the glory!” When someone compliments the beauty of our home…“Thank you so much. To GOD be the glory!” When someone wishes for the type of marriage that we enjoy…“Thank you so much. To GOD be the glory!”

In all things we must remember to give God thanks and recognize God’s glory!

As we remember to acknowledge God’s glory over our lives, our non-Christian friends will marvel over how intimate our relationship is with God who gives us all the good gifts we could ever need.

Today’s scripture says that although Herod did not give God glory, the word of God continued to advance and gain adherents because of the witness of Barnabus, Saul, and John Mark.

When one person fails to glorify God, another will always be raised up so that the good news message that God loves us so much that God gave Jesus to die on the cross to save us from our sin and gift us with eternal life, will continue to go forth into the entire world!

I want God to be able to count on me! I want to be one of those people who glorifies God in all things and shares the good news that God loves, gave, and saves with everyone I meet.

Do you want the same thing? If so, please pray with me:

Dear God, I glorify your holy name! You are so holy, awesome, loving, kind, generous, giving, merciful, and full of grace! Every day you bless me beyond measure. Please forgive me for failing to acknowledge your glory and for taking credit for your blessings. Please fill me up with the Holy Spirit so that I will be empowered and equipped to share good news with everyone that I meet. I love you and I want to share our love with others. I pray this in Jesus’ Name, Amen.