|
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
Sleeping
Peter, Interceding God
By Danan Benson Herod has just had James killed. Since this action seems to please the people, he arrests Peter, who is stuck in prison between two soldiers. Now, some may say that Peter at this time is full of faith and knows that God is going to deliver him. But then again, I think that maybe Peter has some questions, and maybe even some doubts. After all, was James delivered from death at Herod’s hands? No, he wasn’t. Not a good precedent. So perhaps there is a different Peter from the one we always hear preached about¾a Peter who is tired, beaten down, defeated, weary. He has been doing all he knows to do for the cause of Christ. Yet he finds himself chained and in a prison cell, waiting to be beheaded. He is looking face to face at his own death sentence. Peter’s
walk with Jesus starts when he is just an average guy, a common fisherman.
He isn’t a man of high education or pedigree.
He has a wife, maybe a few kids¾no
different from anyone else. Then,
one normal ordinary day, in walks this man called Jesus who changes Peter’s
life forever. No longer is the
every day mundane stuff enough for Peter. He
is now driven, impulsive. There is
a raging storm in his spirit that will not calm.
One
minute Peter is a coward, denying the Lord.
The next he is filled with holy boldness, prophesying and preaching to
multitudes. This is the same guy
who caught fish for a living only a short time ago.
Jesus has changed his name, and he goes from being just Simon to Peter the Rock.
Jesus even hands him the keys to the kingdom. Peter willingly accepts
this calling, hardships and all. You
talk about giving the wealth of heaven to the insignificant!
Perhaps Peter remembers Jesus talking about “When you are old…” Now that he is staring death in the face, he probably is saying, “I must have misunderstood the Lord. I mean, what is old, anyway? To a five-year-old, thirty seems pretty old.” Yet he is willing to accept whatever is to happen. Maybe Peter even comforts himself with the knowledge that it will all be over soon, with no more pressure or hardships. So, here he is, chained between two soldiers. Just maybe about now he starts thinking about the times he failed Jesus. The time he cursed. The time he cut off the man’s ear. But then there was also the time he gave up his fishing nets for “men” nets. He really has tried to do God’s will. Is he now scheduled to be the next Christian martyr? Peter has now come to a point of total surrender. He realizes he can do nothing to change his circumstances. This isn’t the way he thought it would end. He must believe that Jesus has no more work for him to do. But, he is only human and cannot fully understand the mind of God. To be honest, he has misunderstood the Lord before. But it doesn’t really matter anymore. He is tired and worn out. This is not the brash, aggressive, impulsive, cut-his-ear-off Peter. So
now, if they behead him, they just behead him.
If it happens, he accepts the fact that this is God’s will for him and
that God has allowed it to happen. No,
it isn’t what Peter wants to happen. But
God is in control and if he dies, at least the fight will be over.
The
wisdom of God knows where Peter is¾physically, emotionally, and yes, spiritually.
God knows Peter is at the end of his human capacity to understand.
Perhaps Peter is at the place where he can no longer pray for himself or
his family or the church he will leave behind.
Peter hasn’t just given up. No,
no, no…Peter has just surrendered to the knowledge that he can do nothing and
that God is in control. He has put
everything in God’s hands. So
what is Peter doing now? He is sleeping! Instead
of being awake and trying to find out from the Lord what is going on, he sleeps.
That sure puts the peace that passeth all understanding in focus!
Peter can’t do anything to change his circumstances, but his God can¾and does! The
scripture says “But prayer was made
without ceasing of the church unto God for him.”
(Acts 12:5) Intercessors interceded.
When Peter could no longer lift his own head, God sent an angel to
deliver him from prison. Peter
marches on to continue the work Jesus has planned, the despair of the night all
but forgotten in the glory of his deliverance. Many
times we, too, face situations where it seems deliverance is just not in the
picture. We would do well to let
God handle these seemingly impossible situations in our lives¾and
sleep. He will raise up intercessors in our behalf.
Then we, too, can be delivered to march on to finish the work He has
called us to do. ninetyandnine.com Article
© 2001, Danan Benson ------- Danan Benson is a minister’s wife and the mother of three children, all beautiful and smart. She also works in the emergency room at Lakeview Regional Medical Center in Mandeville, Louisiana. In her spare time (is there ever any?), she sleeps!
|
|
|
