Title: His Servants, His Choices/ Topic: God's Will

Today’s Reading: Job 6; Job 7; Job 8; Acts 12

Scripture: Acts 12:1-4, 6-7
1 It was about this time that King Herod arrested some who belonged to the church, intending to persecute them. 2 He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword. 3 When he saw that this pleased the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. This happened during the Feast of Unleavened Bread. 4 After arresting him, he put him in prison, handing him over to be guarded by four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring him out for public trial after the Passover... 6 The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries stood guard at the entrance. 7 Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. "Quick, get up!" he said, and the chains fell off Peter's wrists.

Observation: James gets put to death by the civil authorities and Peter gets released by an angel. Why didn't James get delivered like Peter did? Obviously, God had the power to set him free if he had wanted to. Did James have less faith than Peter? Did the church neglect to pray for James? I don't think either of those are the case. In fact, I think one of the reasons the church had a lack of faith that their prayers would be answered for Peter (see the rest of the chapter) is that they had probably prayed for James with no results. The answer as to why James suffered death and Peter was delivered is God is sovereign! He does what he wants with each of those who submit to him. His plan is always good and loving, though not always understandable by us. Hebrews 11:34-36 says, " Women received back their dead, raised to life again. Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection." Sometimes God calls us to suffer on his account (but he obviously takes that into account when he passes out rewards) and other times he glorifies himself by doing miracles.

Application: I cannot always know or understand God's will. I better not judge anyone else because I got a miracle and they didn't (or vice versa). Romans 14:4 says, "Who are you to judge someone else's servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand." I must be willing to let God use me as he wills and not worry about how he chooses to use others. I have made myself his servant by choice. Whether I suffer or not, whehter I live or die or not, is his decision. My only job is to seek his face and do what he asks me to do.

Prayer: Father, sometimes I try way too hard to analyze the "whys" of everything. Help me to be concerned with your will for my life and not to compare myself with others, for good or bad. If I'm obedient to what you want me to do, that's all I need to be concerned about.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.