About that time Herod the king laid violent hands on some who belonged to the church. 2 He killed James the brother of John with the sword, 3 and . . . he proceeded to arrest Peter also.
6 Now when Herod was about to bring him out, on that very night, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries before the door were guarding the prison. 7 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood next to him, and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him, saying, “Get up quickly.” And the chains fell off his hands.
There is a mystery hidden in God as to why some die while others are spared. I mean really, why was James, one of Jesus' closest companions, martyred while Peter was spared? Was there a reason for this? Did the church pray harder for this? Was Peter more saintly than James -- less saintly than James?
As I say, these are mysteries hidden in God, and they go far beyond martyrdom or not martyrdom. These mysteries stretch into every aspect of life, wherein one suffers while another rejoices. We cannot know the answers nor the grounds for the answers as to why. It is not for us to know now; it may never be for us to know.
What we must learn to do is accept whatever lot we draw and learn to say what Saint Paul, who looked upon his own uncertain future, once said, "If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord."
We play the hand we've been dealt. And we play to the very best of our ability. And when we do, God is glorified -- win, lose or draw, God is glorified.
Today's daily lesson comes from Acts chapter 12 verses 1 through 3, 6 and 7:
About that time Herod the king laid violent hands on some who belonged to the church. 2 He killed James the brother of John with the sword, 3 and . . . he proceeded to arrest Peter also.
6 Now when Herod was about to bring him out, on that very night, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries before the door were guarding the prison. 7 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood next to him, and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him, saying, “Get up quickly.” And the chains fell off his hands.
There is a mystery hidden in God as to why some die while others are spared. I mean really, why was James, one of Jesus' closest companions, martyred while Peter was spared? Was there a reason for this? Did the church pray harder for this? Was Peter more saintly than James -- less saintly than James?
As I say, these are mysteries hidden in God, and they go far beyond martyrdom or not martyrdom. These mysteries stretch into every aspect of life, wherein one suffers while another rejoices. We cannot know the answers nor the grounds for the answers as to why. It is not for us to know now; it may never be for us to know.
What we must learn to do is accept whatever lot we draw and learn to say what Saint Paul, who looked upon his own uncertain future, once said, "If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord."
We play the hand we've been dealt. And we play to the very best of our ability. And when we do, God is glorified -- win, lose or draw, God is glorified.
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