Acts 12:2-3 He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword. When he saw that this met with approval among the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. This happened during the Festival of Unleavened Bread.

Even dictators are swayed by the opinions of the populace. I’ve written before about how James gave his life for Christ all at once, as it says here, but John gave his life one day at a time, well into his 90s. Both brothers were 100% in their commitment, but they didn’t get to choose how it would be expressed. I’ve always maintained that James had the easier course! The point at the moment, however, is closely related to what came up two days ago about the Pharisees loving the praise of men more than the praise of God. When our primary focus is on the people around us rather than on God, all sorts of bad things happen, and King Herod was no exception. However, God had other ideas. He allowed Herod to send James home, but when he arrested Peter, God used it in a very dramatic way to demonstrate His power. We speak of things like earthquakes and lightning as “acts of God,” but God is certainly capable of much more subtle, but just as powerful, actions as well. This particular story sounds like something out of Science Fiction! I feel a little sorry for Rhoda, the servant girl named in verse 13, being the object of laughter today, but when you think about it, not that many people are actually named in the New Testament narrative, so it was really a high honor. To me the whole point of the story is that we can seldom predict the results of our prayers, except that the result will be good. Luke reports in verse five that the church was praying for Peter, and this story was the result. This tidbit is further confirmation that churches are not buildings, but rather people. That came up with yesterday’s reading! We need to remember that the eternal things we encounter most regularly are the souls of people. Material things are not unimportant, and we are accountable as stewards of what we have been given, but the material is all temporal, and will not last for eternity the way we will as children of God. What happens in this story is dramatic, and was a huge blessing to Peter and the Church as a whole, but it would have been easier on Peter if he had simply followed James to heaven. God had a lot more work for him to do, so this story happened, but we need to remember that God’s plans are always greater, and better, than ours whatever we might feel like in the moment.

I have certainly experienced this in my own life. I have had various plans and expectations over the years, and not very many of them have turned out as I expected! That has led to a tendency not to plan, which hasn’t been good. As the secular proverb says, those who fail to plan, plan to fail. That said, God’s plans have been good, and I continue to look forward to whatever He has next on the agenda. I am at the point of planning for my successor in this congregation, and that is a major point of accountability. I am not to be anxious about it, but I am to be earnest and active in seeking and following God’s plans. I am indeed to “prepare God’s people for the work of ministry,” (Ephesians 4:12) knowing that God’s plans will continue long after I am out of the picture, and trust Him to bring it about on His schedule for His glory.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for all I see You doing around me, and for all the things I’m not aware of, as well! May I be fully yielded and available to You on every level, so that I may be useful to You in Your plans and not a hindrance, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!