“Then Peter came to himself and said, ‘Now I know without a doubt that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from Herod’s clutches and from everything the Jewish people were hoping would happen.’ When this had dawned on him, he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, also called Mark, where many people had gathered and were praying. Peter knocked at the outer entrance, and a servant named Rhoda came to answer the door. When she recognized Peter’s voice, she was so overjoyed she ran back without opening it and exclaimed, ‘Peter is at the door!’ ‘You’re out of your mind,’ they told her. When she kept insisting that it was so, they said, ‘It must be his angel.’ But Peter kept on knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished.”
Acts 12:11-16

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FEBRUARY 5, 2025

Have you ever received news that seemed too good to be true? You keep pinching yourself thinking, I must be dreaming or it’s probably just a misunderstanding. Sometimes when given wonderful news, we find it difficult to believe. We struggle to wrap our minds around the fact that something so good could happen to us.

In Acts 12, we find a rather comical reunion scene between Peter and his friends. After his miraculous prison escape, Peter heads to the home of a fellow believer where several have gathered to pray. Rather than the warm welcome he was probably expecting, Peter is left knocking at the door while his friends argue inside about whether he’s actually there! When they finally decide to open the door, they are astounded to find him standing in front of them.

Why did Peter’s friends find it so hard to believe he escaped? Perhaps James’ execution made it hard to hope for any other outcome. After all, Jesus warned His disciples to expect persecution, even that some would die with Him (Luke 21:12-19). Still, many early believers like Stephen and James trusted in the goodness and sovereignty of their risen Savior as they laid down their lives for the sake of God’s Kingdom.

But God still had more work for Peter to do. He sent an angel to break Peter out of prison and save him from the hands of Herod. Though at the time the Church did not understand how or why, both James’ and Peter’s outcomes were part of God’s good, sovereign plan to further the good news.

Next time God unexpectedly blesses you, don’t waste time on disbelief! Remember that the God you serve is greater and stronger than all you can think or imagine.

Questions for reflection and discussion:

  • What are some ways that God has unexpectedly blessed you?
  • When have you seen Him meet you in suffering?
  • How can you thank Him for His unexpected blessings today?

 

Church Reading Plan: Genesis 38; Mark 8