THE STORY OF JESUS: Acts 12:1-11
“Herod had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword.” (Acts 12:2)
This story is about how the Lord miraculously rescues Peter from prison.
But what I notice is how James is NOT miraculously rescued.
James and John had asked to sit at Jesus’s right hand in His victory.
But Jesus made it clear that this involved suffering with Him (Mark 10:38-40)
Both James and John live, serve and die as witnesses for Jesus.
But James dies much sooner than John does (who goes into exile in old age).
God sent Jesus to rescue us from Satan, sin, suffering and death.
Jesus came to restore us, heal us, set us free, give us life to the full.
But this does not mean we always get it here, or right away, or how we want.
Peter experiences a miracle, but James does not – yet both are servants of Jesus.
As Paul says, Christ can be exalted no matter what happens to us in this life.
“Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.” (Philippians 1:20)
We should pray for a miracle (Acts 12:5), but Jesus may have other plans in mind.
If He doesn’t rescue or heal you, pray for strength to witness for Him anyway!
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
Lord, I want to be free, I want to be healed, I want to be safe… but more than this I want You to be exalted. If it is possible, may I have both? But if not, may You be exalted!