Adapting to a new normal...
Peter's Miraculous Escape From Prison, Acts 12:1-19 NIV (NIV)
1It was about this time that King Herod arrested some who belonged to the church, intending to persecute them. 2He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword. 3When he saw that this pleased the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. This happened during the Feast of Unleavened Bread. 4After arresting him, he put him in prison, handing him over to be guarded by four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring him out for public trial after the Passover.
5So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.
6The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries stood guard at the entrance. 7Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. "Quick, get up!" he said, and the chains fell off Peter's wrists.
8Then the angel said to him, "Put on your clothes and sandals." And Peter did so. "Wrap your cloak around you and follow me," the angel told him. 9Peter followed him out of the prison, but he had no idea that what the angel was doing was really happening; he thought he was seeing a vision. 10They passed the first and second guards and came to the iron gate leading to the city. It opened for them by itself, and they went through it. When they had walked the length of one street, suddenly the angel left him.
What prison are you in? Mine is anxiety. I keep waiting for things to get back to normal. And then I remember, this is normal now. New home, new job, new responsibilities, new expectations. Oh, and new fears and new insecurities. Well, maybe they are just the same old insecurities and fears, just lots of opportunities for them to take over. So anxiety takes hold and paralysis sets in. But as I look around, people in a lot worse conditions than mine are functioning, and God has called me to help them. So I just keep trying to look for my angel to break me out and show me the way.
Whether we are imprisoned to sin in our hearts or in a worldly prison for mistakes we have made makes no difference to our Lord and savior Jesus Christ. We all need to be ready to put on our clothes and sandals when the angel appears to lead us out of whatever chains are holding us back from being the person God designed and created us to be in His image.
Earnestly we pray dear God, release us from our chains to sin and self. Help us to be free from fear, free from anxiety, free from anger, free from envy, free from hopelessness. We recognize these as the chains that keep us from you and we reject those chains. We look for your angel to appear and tell us, " Follow me." Today we lift up by name our brothers and sisters in Christ: Mandy T. in Newport, AR; Valerie B. in Alderson, WV and George B. in Lisbon, OH; Juan J. Jr. and Rosie B. in Miami FL; for Angela C. in Sherman, TX; Pamela B. Norma L. Gerri S., and Donna C. in Dallas, TX; Randa M. in Abilene; Michelle A. in Dallas; Estella R. in Dallas; Victoria R. and her children Jessy, Moses, Abraham, Felix and nephew Tony; Virginia L. also in Dallas. For all these your children, we pray. In your loving kindness, let them know your presence during their time of need. Help them hear your invitation to follow you more closely, through whatever hardship they may be facing, and help them to put on their sandals and follow you. In the name of Jesus we pray, Amen.
1It was about this time that King Herod arrested some who belonged to the church, intending to persecute them. 2He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword. 3When he saw that this pleased the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. This happened during the Feast of Unleavened Bread. 4After arresting him, he put him in prison, handing him over to be guarded by four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring him out for public trial after the Passover.
5So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.
6The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries stood guard at the entrance. 7Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. "Quick, get up!" he said, and the chains fell off Peter's wrists.
8Then the angel said to him, "Put on your clothes and sandals." And Peter did so. "Wrap your cloak around you and follow me," the angel told him. 9Peter followed him out of the prison, but he had no idea that what the angel was doing was really happening; he thought he was seeing a vision. 10They passed the first and second guards and came to the iron gate leading to the city. It opened for them by itself, and they went through it. When they had walked the length of one street, suddenly the angel left him.
What prison are you in? Mine is anxiety. I keep waiting for things to get back to normal. And then I remember, this is normal now. New home, new job, new responsibilities, new expectations. Oh, and new fears and new insecurities. Well, maybe they are just the same old insecurities and fears, just lots of opportunities for them to take over. So anxiety takes hold and paralysis sets in. But as I look around, people in a lot worse conditions than mine are functioning, and God has called me to help them. So I just keep trying to look for my angel to break me out and show me the way.
Whether we are imprisoned to sin in our hearts or in a worldly prison for mistakes we have made makes no difference to our Lord and savior Jesus Christ. We all need to be ready to put on our clothes and sandals when the angel appears to lead us out of whatever chains are holding us back from being the person God designed and created us to be in His image.
Earnestly we pray dear God, release us from our chains to sin and self. Help us to be free from fear, free from anxiety, free from anger, free from envy, free from hopelessness. We recognize these as the chains that keep us from you and we reject those chains. We look for your angel to appear and tell us, " Follow me." Today we lift up by name our brothers and sisters in Christ: Mandy T. in Newport, AR; Valerie B. in Alderson, WV and George B. in Lisbon, OH; Juan J. Jr. and Rosie B. in Miami FL; for Angela C. in Sherman, TX; Pamela B. Norma L. Gerri S., and Donna C. in Dallas, TX; Randa M. in Abilene; Michelle A. in Dallas; Estella R. in Dallas; Victoria R. and her children Jessy, Moses, Abraham, Felix and nephew Tony; Virginia L. also in Dallas. For all these your children, we pray. In your loving kindness, let them know your presence during their time of need. Help them hear your invitation to follow you more closely, through whatever hardship they may be facing, and help them to put on their sandals and follow you. In the name of Jesus we pray, Amen.
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