Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. - Acts 12:7

Do you remember the television series "Hogan's Heroes"--the wild episodes of American soldiers supposedly locked in a Nazi prison? They were always breaking out of jail, but they usually did it quietly. No noise allowed.

The apostle Peter's jailbreak was quite different. Acts 12 says that King Herod threw Peter into prison with four squads of soldiers guarding him. Imagine that! Four squads of soldiers to guard one man!

A few nights later, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers and bound with two chains. The cell was guarded as well. And then the Bible tells us: "Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell... Then the angel said to him, 'Put on your clothes and sandals.' And Peter did so. 'Wrap your cloak around you and follow me.'"

This angel broke all the rules of conventional jailbreak wisdom! First, you wouldn't shine a bright light into the cell for fear of waking the guards! Second, you wouldn't put on your sandals and clomp out of the place. You would carry your sandals and tippy-toe by the sleeping guards in your bare feet. Third, you wouldn't release the chains and let them clatter to the ground.

God can rescue you just as easily as He rescued Peter. But there are times when God's deliverance doesn't fit the mold of human wisdom. God's ways are not our ways. We must accept the fact that God knows what He's doing and fall in step with Him by faith, like Peter did.

Maybe you're facing a situation right now that needs God's touch. Ask the Lord to send deliverance, but don't be surprised if it comes in an unexpected way.

Prayer

Lord, help me to recognize Your hand of deliverance in my life and I will give You all the praise and glory. Amen.

To Ponder

Is there a time when God supernaturally delivered you from a dangerous situation?