Tues., 1/12/16 Devotion (Acts 12:7a, 23a)

Today's encouragement comes from Acts 12:7a & 23a, where we read these words:

"Now behold, an angel of the Lord stood by [Peter], and a light shone in the prison; and he struck Peter on the side . . . Then immediately an angel of the Lord struck [Herod], because he did not give glory to God."

God does not deal with people in the same way—though He may use the exact same agency (viz. "striking"). Here, the angel "strikes" Peter, so that he (Peter) would wake up and be released from prison. A little while later—in the same chapter—the angel "strikes" Herod, and kills him. . . .

Also, in this very same 12th chapter of Acts, we find God allowing the Apostle James to die at Herod's hand (v. 2); while He (the Lord) delivers Peter from Herod's grip (v. 7). What is the point? That God is sovereign; He does what He does for a reason. He is always righteous; and He loves His church—whether He allows His people to suffer, or prosper.

[Puritan quote of the day: "For every believer, the debt-book is crossed out; the black lines of sin are crossed out with the red lines of Christ's blood.”
—Thomas Watson, in his sermon, "God's Anatomy upon Man's Heart"]