SCRIPTURE: Acts 12 

KEY POINTS TO PONDER: The book of Acts doesn’t sugar-coat how hard it was to follow Jesus in the early church. Many of the disciples, starting with Stephen and now James, were brutally murdered for their faith. Peter was beaten and harassed and criticized and even imprisoned many times, as we see in verses 3-11. But Luke, in recording these stories to us, makes one thing very clear; God’s sovereign hand is more powerful than that of the rulers and powers on earth. Herod, in all his power and prestige, was not able to keep Peter in prison. Luke also mentions that the church was making “earnest prayer” to God for Peter, and that shows also how powerful prayer can be when we lift our hands to a sovereign and capable God. Luke even uses the word “but” at the beginning of verse 5, showing how it was these prayers which led to Peter’s escape from prison. Our heavenly father longs for us to pray to him in this way, in faith and sincerity for those who are suffering and in danger. 

CHALLENGING TERMS: The James who was killed in verse 2 was the first of the 12 apostles to be killed. The James who Peter mentions to the disciples in verse 17 was not James the apostle, but James the brother of Jesus, who wrote the book of James. 

REFLECTION: What situation or people can you be praying for today? 

PRAYER: Father, thank you that your sovereign hand is more powerful than all the rulers on earth, and that we can turn to you in prayer. 

Pray whatever your answer was in the reflection for today.