Read | Acts 12
About that time King Herod violently attacked some who belonged to the church, and he executed James, John’s brother, with the sword. When he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter too, during the Festival of Unleavened Bread. After the arrest, he put him in prison and assigned four squads of four soldiers each to guard him, intending to bring him out to the people after the Passover. So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was praying fervently to God for him.
When Herod was about to bring him out for trial, that very night Peter, bound with two chains, was sleeping between two soldiers, while the sentries in front of the door guarded the prison. Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared, and a light shone in the cell. Striking Peter on the side, he woke him up and said, “Quick, get up!” And the chains fell off his wrists. “Get dressed,” the angel told him, “and put on your sandals.” And he did. “Wrap your cloak around you,” he told him, “and follow me.” So he went out and followed, and he did not know that what the angel did was really happening, but he thought he was seeing a vision. After they passed the first and second guards, they came to the iron gate that leads into the city, which opened to them by itself. They went outside and passed one street, and suddenly the angel left him.
When Peter came to himself, he said, “Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from Herod’s grasp and from all that the Jewish people expected.” As soon as he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John who was called Mark, where many had assembled and were praying. He knocked at the door of the outer gate, and a servant named Rhoda came to answer. She recognized Peter’s voice, and because of her joy, she did not open the gate but ran in and announced that Peter was standing at the outer gate.
“You’re out of your mind!” they told her. But she kept insisting that it was true, and they said, “It’s his angel.” Peter, however, kept on knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they were amazed.
Motioning to them with his hand to be silent, he described to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. “Tell these things to James and the brothers,” he said, and he left and went to another place.
At daylight, there was a great commotion among the soldiers as to what had become of Peter. After Herod had searched and did not find him, he interrogated the guards and ordered their execution. Then Herod went down from Judea to Caesarea and stayed there.
Herod had been very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon. Together they presented themselves before him. After winning over Blastus, who was in charge of the king’s bedroom, they asked for peace, because their country was supplied with food from the king’s country. On an appointed day, dressed in royal robes and seated on the throne, Herod delivered a speech to them. The assembled people began to shout, “It’s the voice of a god and not of a man!” At once an angel of the Lord struck him because he did not give the glory to God, and he was eaten by worms and died.
But the word of God spread and multiplied. After they had completed their relief mission, Barnabas and Saul returned to Jerusalem, taking along John who was called Mark.
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In the opening verses of Acts 12, King Herod executes James, the brother of John, yet Peter is miraculously rescued shortly after. How do you process situations when God allows one severe trial or loss while granting a miraculous resolution elsewhere? What does this reveal about trusting his care for us, and his presence with us, when outcomes don't align with our expectations?
Focus
The third step of lectio divina is oratio, responding to God’s word in prayer. In a journal, write a short 2–3 sentence responsive prayer as you reflect on the Scripture reading today. Choose one of the below prompts:
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Write a prayer of praise for an attribute of God which you see in the passage.
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Write a prayer of confession to acknowledge sin in your life which the passage may speak to.
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Write a prayer of honesty to transparently reflect to God your confusion about the passage.
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Write a prayer of thanksgiving for the message of the passage.
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Write a prayer of request that God would help you live out the message of the passage in your life.
Pray
Reflectively pray the words of this classic hymn, “Close to Thee,” by Fanny J. Crosby:
Thou my everlasting portion, More than friend or life to me,
All along my pilgrim journey, Savior, let me walk with thee.
Close to thee, close to thee, Close to thee, close to thee;
All along my pilgrim journey, Savior, let me walk with thee.
Not for ease or worldly pleasure, Nor for fame my prayer shall be;
Gladly will I toil and suffer, Only let me walk with thee.
Close to thee, close to thee, Close to thee, close to thee;
Gladly will I toil and suffer, Only let me walk with thee.
Lead me through the vale of shadows, Bear me o'er life's fitful sea:
Then the gate of life eternal, May I enter, Lord, with thee.
Close to thee, close to thee, Close to thee, close to thee;
Then the gate of life eternal, May I enter, Lord, with thee.
Going Deeper
If you are also following the BibleProject’s One Story That Leads to Jesus reading plan, complete today’s reading.