Martyrdom Day 3

It was about this time that King Herod arrested some who belonged to the church, intending to persecute them. He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword. When he saw that this pleased the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. This happened during the Feast of Unleavened Bread. After 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.

So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.

The 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. Suddenly 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. (Acts 12:1-7)

This is a potentially confusing passage because it raises the question why. Why did God allow James to be killed yet send an angel to save Peter? Why does God allow anyone to day for their faith? We can't fully understand the answers to these questins now, but we can trust God's character. God doesn't "play favorites" or save the lives of those he "likes better." God has a plan that works out for the best, and that plan has glory and paradise waiting for all of us who are in God. How we get there is up to God - not to us. We may not get the answers we want in terms of why things happen the way they do, but we can always trust God in spite of our circumstances.

When you're confused, where do you go for answers?

Do you go to God with your questions? Why or why not?

Spend some time talking to God about things you don't understand and about why things happen the way they do.