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Faith

Get out of prison free

peter-freed-from-prisonWhat kind of a deal are you signing up for if you decide to become a Christian? There are plenty of prosperity preachers who would like to tell you how much wealthier you will be and how much more secure your lifestyle will be when you align your plans with God’s plan. Such advice does not account for how Peter found himself in a maximum security prison awaiting a public trial and probable execution, as described in Acts chapter 12.

Jesus never promised a carefree life to his followers. He never promised them material wealth, or long life, or freedom from illness. His own example was hardly promising for someone seeking the good life on easy street: Jesus’s life was brutally cut short when he was arrested, tortured and executed. According to church tradition, each of his 12 disciples also suffered persecution culminating in a brutal and untimely ending.

Everyone gets to experience suffering in this life, and this life always ends in death. Sometimes, though, God intervenes miraculously in the midst of our sufferings and difficulties, and on the occasion described in Acts 12, this happened for Peter. Peter was bound by chains to two soldiers, guarded by two guards, and locked behind an iron gate; but none of these was an insurmountable obstacle to the angel sent by God. No matter how bad your circumstances, there is always a chance that God may send you a “get out of jail free” card.