“Now behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him and a light shone in the prison, and he struck Peter on the side and raised him up, saying, ‘Arise quickly!’ And his chains fell off his hands…. When they were past the first and the second guard posts, they came to the iron gate that leads to the city, which opened to them of its own accord; and they went out and went down one street, and immediately the angel departed from him.” Acts 12:7, 10

Nothing At All

My son left us once. When I say he “left,” I mean that he moved away from home—physically, mentally, and emotionally disconnected. It was the most painful thing imaginable, and I didn’t think I could bear it. I begged God constantly for his return, and when the lessons for all of us had been well taught, my son did come home. He was physically, mentally, and emotionally connected to us again.

I never doubted that God could get him home, though I wondered if He would since He often allows us to operate in our own free will, even when it conflicts with His perfect will. This is why I prayed so passionately. Like the church when Peter was in prison, “constant prayer was offered to God for him” (Acts 12:5). I prayed for my son’s heart to be healed, for him to change his mind, for him to see the truth and know our love.  I prayed for his release from whatever prison he had made for himself. And I prayed for God to have mercy on me, because I was grieving (or, more accurately, falling apart) like never before.

Imagine the scene for Peter: he’s asleep on the floor of a prison cell, chained to two guards, with more guards at the cell door, and even more at the first and second guard gates. Additionally, there was a locked iron gate at the city’s entrance. It was impossible to get in or out, by man’s design. Yet an angel comes in, slaps him awake, shines a flashlight for him to find his clothing and sandals, and says, “Hurry up.” The moment Peter obeys (note: not when the angel speaks, but as Peter obeys), the chains fall off. They slip away, past cell guards, past gate guards, and through a locked gate that opens on its own.

What is a manmade lock against the power of God? What is any manmade constraint—physical, mental, or emotional—to God? What can stop Him? What can lock Him out? What can lock Him in? When is He ever chained to the will of man?

What galaxy, or how many galaxies together, could wholly contain Him? He is boundless, timeless, endless, limitless, and measureless. Mere soldiers, chains, locks, and gates cannot stop His work from moving forward. Be encouraged, and look to Him to release us, and our loved ones, from the prisons and hard places in our lives.

What is too hard for him? Nothing at all.

 “Lord, set the captives free. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”