The Gate Opened (Nov 17)

They passed the first and second guards and came to the iron gate leading into the city.  It opened for them by itself, and they went through it.  When they had walked the length of one street, suddenly the angel left him.
                                                  Acts 12:10 NIV


Today's verse deals with Peter's escape from prison, being guided by an angel of the Lord.  Today, literal prisons exist, however; we are more often held prisoner by a figurative prison like: debt, bad habits, addictions, fears and interpersonal conflicts.  Figurative prisions can trap and immobilize us.

In a sense many 'guards' hold us in our figuratve prisons.  Bad habits can be difficult to break.  Addictions take the work of the Spirit, a power much greater than our own to break. Consumption and spending is encouraged all around us.  Fears and interpersonal conflict may immobilize us in our homes.  

Peter, when leaving prison, did not focus on the two sets of guards or the iron gate.  Instead, he focused on the guidance of the angel of the Lord.  

When one plays a game of golf, one does not focus on the water hazard or the sand trap; instead one focuses on the fairway and the cup on the green.  For us to leave our prisons, we need to focus on the Lord, on God's will for our life, on what Jesus has done, on the Spirit's guidance.

Jesus told us that He is the way, the life and the truth.  In John 8:32, we can read that the truth will set you free.  Certainly for Jesus to get us past the guards, for Him to open up the iron gates, we need to focus on Jesus, His power, His glory.  When we focus on Jesus, He can be active in our lives to get us past the guards and open up those iron gates for us.

Consider the "footprints in the sand" poster. In many areas there are two sets of footprints in the sand.  These parallel footprints represent where Jesus is walking beside us.  In other areas there is only one set of footprints.  The single path represents where Jesus is carrying us through our difficult times, out of our prisons.

What other prisons can ensnare people?

Are you ensnared by a prison?

Will you turn that over to Jesus in prayer?

Pray to be focused on Christ.

In Christ,

David P