Acts 12:1-19

A biblical scholar that I first read in seminary called the Acts of the Apostles an account of “The Church in the Power of the Holy Spirit.” This book does seem to show just what God the Spirit can do.

One of these powerful deeds is the freeing of Paul from prison. In sharing examples of God’s power with their readers, the editors of the Spark Story Bible for children paint this portion of the picture of Peter like this:

Poor Peter! King Herod had Peter arrested and put in chains with man soldiers guarding him. “No one will get Peter with so many guards,” said King Herod. Peter’s friends gathered at Mary’s house and prayed for Peter. Peter was sleeping between two guards when suddenly he was surrounded by a bright light! An angel tapped Peter on the shoulder, waking him up. “Clink, clank” went Peter’s chains as he raised his arms to cover is eyes form the light.

“Get up, put on your sandals and cloak, and follow me,” the angel told Peter. Ka-clink! The chains fell off Peter’s wrists. He put on his sandals and cloak and followed the angel out of the prison, passing all the guards who were fast asleep.

“Am I dreaming?” Peter thought.

Once he was safely away from the prison, the angel left him ……

Peter’s “escape” was followed by his arrival at the house where his friends were keeping him in prayer. They, at first, couldn’t believe that Peter had been freed. (It’s hard, sometimes, to see what God is capable of.)

Do we pray without imaging how powerful our God is? Do we sometimes feel that God’s presence is simply a dream?

Let’s keep rehearsing the tales of the church in the power of the Spirit, so we can sense the Spirit’s powerful work in our church and our lives.

Prayer

God, let me read Your Word as something in which I, too, am involved. Let me trust Your power to work in my life today. Amen.