Devotion by Ee Zhen Ying (Zone Supervisor)
As I read the book of Acts, I find myself encouraged by the Lord. In Acts 12, we find that King Herod was persecuting the believers in the church. He had just beheaded the Apostle James, and now he had arrested Peter and imprisoned him.
Acts 12:4-6 (NLT)
4 Then he imprisoned him, placing him under the guard of four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring Peter out for public trial after the Passover. 5 But while Peter was in prison, the church prayed very earnestly for him. 6 The night before Peter was to be placed on trial, he was asleep, fastened with two chains between two soldiers. Others stood guard at the prison gate.
I’m surprised at how “relaxed” Peter seemed to be. There were 16 prison guards (four squads of four) watching him, and it was the night before the trial. James had just been beheaded, and if King Herod decided to behead Peter the next day, it would be of no surprise at all. Yet, Peter here, was fast asleep, chained up between the guards.
I thought to myself, how was Peter able to sleep under such circumstances? Wouldn’t he have been afraid of being killed? Shouldn’t he have prayed for a miracle and begged God to help him out? He should have been desperately looking for a way of escape, but yet he was asleep! Unbelievable!
I’m not sure about you, but I’m reminded of the nights I was kept awake and unable to sleep because of the many thoughts running through in my mind. Sometimes it would be anxiety from the workload and looming deadlines. Sometimes it would be the burden of ministry—thinking about the members under my care, a sermon to rush out, or the concerns of the church. Sometimes it would be life—a family situation, a relationship strain, a health issue, or even financial worries.
Have you ever been kept awake at night? Are there times you were unable to fall asleep because of anxious thoughts and fears, or problems that seem impossible to solve, or burdens that are too heavy to bear?
When I think about sleeping, I’m reminded of a famous passage in the Bible – of Jesus sleeping through the storm.
Matthew 8:24-27 (NLT)
24 Suddenly, a fierce storm struck the lake, with waves breaking into the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. 25 The disciples went and woke him up, shouting, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!” 26 Jesus responded, “Why are you afraid? You have so little faith!” Then he got up and rebuked the wind and waves, and suddenly there was a great calm.
The disciples were clearly afraid. They panicked and decided to wake Jesus up. They couldn’t even speak calmly, for they were already shouting for help!
Years later, we see a stark contrast in Peter’s response in Book of Acts, compared to the Book of Matthew. Like Jesus, he was now able to sleep through the storm. Peter had matured in his relationship with the Lord and now had a knowing and faith that God has all things in control.
Did Peter know that he was soon going to have a supernatural escape? Not at all!
But even when he didn’t know what the future held, he knew that he could rest in His God who loved him and cared for him. Even if he were to lose his life, his faith and love for the Lord was unwavering.
Dear friends, faith is the ability to trust God, know His heart and rest in Him, even when we don’t have all the answers. Abraham did not receive all the promises in his lifetime (Heb 6:13), but he was called the friend of God (2 Chron 20:7).
May we come into maturity in our walking with Christ, to learn to commit our anxieties, fears and worries into His loving hands. Whether or not our prayers will be answered, may we know for certainty that God is still good and faithful to us, and that all things will work together for good to those who love Him and are called according to His purpose (Rom 8:28).
I pray, that you will find your rest in the Lord even in the midst of a storm, and sleep in faith and peace, for the Lord gives His beloved—yes you—rest!