"11 When Peter came to himself, he said, "Now I am sure that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting."
12 When he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose other name was Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying." - Acts 12:11-12
Peter is in jail again, and I'm sure he must be thinking its his time to die. James, John's brother , has jus been killed, and now Herod and the leaders of the Jews are eagerly awaiting their chance to put Peter on trial and have him executed. Peter must be feeling like this is it. But a the same time, he must be concerned with the young church.
How will they go on?
Two of their main leaders will be killed?!
How will they go and make disciples to the end of the earth?
On top of that, he's under maximum security. The Jewish leaders are aware that las time he was in prison, somehow, he got out. So they're ready for anything. They even have him sleeping between two guards. He's trapped.
And then an angel comes. Peter is convinced he's having a vision so he just follows the angel thinking its not really happening. And then, with no explanation or directions, the angel disappears and Peter is just standing in the street; he's free. No word from The Lord. Nothing. He just leaves him in he street.
This strikes me because Peter must have thought this was the end. How could it not be?
He would suffer he same end as his master and he was maybe ready for it this time. I'm sure he prayed about it. But then to have your life go from certain death to an unexpected miraculous angelic rescue and be totally free...what's that like?
And as the leader of the church, to think its all over and then to have no instruction or direction or orders whatsoever? It seems weird.
So what is he thinking?
Well, he just goes to see his friends. And after that he goes somewhere else and continues building the church.
Sometimes, The Lord has no specific command for us. We're simply set free and standing in the street. And sometimes l feel like I'm not supposed to do anything until God says something. But hearing God is also about remembering what he said before.
Peter never received any instructions after being set free, not like Paul did when he received his sight again. But maybe he didn't need new instructions. His assignment was the same. Go and make disciples. The situation may have changed, but not the assignment. God left Peter to figure it out and make his own decisions. We're not incapable of making our own decisions, we just often want it all laid out for us.
I think what Peter did next is very key. He didn't retreat to solitude to pray and process, he went to his friends. He sought refuge and company with them. It doesn't say they gave him any advice, and it doesn't say where Peter goes after this, but we know he didn't drop off the face of the earth, and I think the reason there isn't much said about Peter here, is that Luke intends to switch the focus more to Paul now.
But this is speaking loudly to me today. If God doesn't speak, go to those who love you and have his Spirit in them and let them speak. God may be silent, but that doesn't mean he wants me to do nothing. I find myself at times questioning whether I am really in my calling or doing what I'm meant to do, and in prayer it doesn't seem like God is guiding me in either direction. But today I'm affirmed that God has already spoken in the past and doesn't need to repeat himself.
I'm a person who was separated from God. Then, I was intrigued by Jesus. Then, I surrendered my life to his lordship and accepted his salvation. My mind was renewed. My life was changed. I made myself available to do whatever God asked. I've been doing that ever since. If the past has been walked with Jesus, then it's a good indicator of where you should continue going. The assignment is the same until the Lord makes it clear. Make disciples. My situation may change constantly. My emotions will fluctuate. But the task remains. Do something and make disciples, following Jesus and depending on him to overcome any and all obstacles.
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-Hanzo Hamamura
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