December 19, 2025
*Resting in God*
The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers. - Acts 12:6
*Today's Scripture*
Acts 12:5โ11
*5 So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him. 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. โQuick, get up!โ he said, and the chains fell off Peterโs wrists. 8 Then the angel said to him, โPut on your clothes and sandals.โ And Peter did so. โWrap your cloak around you and follow me,โ the angel told him. 9 Peter followed him out of the prison, but he had no idea that what the angel was doing was really happening; he thought he was seeing a vision. 10 They passed the first and second guards and came to the iron gate leading to the city. It opened for them by itself, and they went through it. When they had walked the length of one street, suddenly the angel left him. 11 Then Peter came to himselfy and said, โNow I know without a doubt that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from Herodโs clutches and from everything the Jewish people were hoping would happen.โ*
*Today's Devotional*
My neighbor Sam returned home one night without his car. โIt was stolen,โ he told his wife, then added, โIโm going to sleep. Iโll sort it out tomorrow.โ His wife was flabbergasted. She couldnโt understand how Sam could be so calm, but he explained, โWhat else can I do? Panicking wonโt make any difference.โ
My ever-sensible neighbor could see there was no point worrying. He trusted that the authorities would be able to find his missing car laterโwhich they did.
Did the apostle Peter feel likewise after being thrown into prison (Acts 12:4)? He was likely to face execution, yet the usually impulsive disciple โwas sleeping between two soldiersโ (v. 6). The angel had to โ[strike] Peter on the sideโ to wake him up (v. 7)โsuggesting that he was completely calm and at peace. Was it because he knew his life was in Godโs hands? Verses 9 and 11 suggest that it wouldnโt have mattered whether he was rescued or not; perhaps he recalled the assurance of salvation and glory that Jesus had given him (Matthew 19:28), as well as Christโs call to simply โfollow meโ and not worry about what would happen to him (John 21:22).
No matter what weโre facing today, we can trust that God holds our futureโboth on earth and in heavenโin His mighty hands. Perhaps then we can sleep in peace more easily.
*Reflect & Pray*
What worries keep you awake at night? How can you learn to surrender them to God and hold on to His promises?
*Dear God, I know that my life and future are in Your loving and mighty hands. Please help me to keep trusting You.*
*Insight*
Peter โwas sleepingโ the โnight before Herod was to bring him to trialโ (Acts 12:6). Heโd already been unjustly imprisoned by King Herod for eight days and wouldโve been sentenced the following day. And, like James, his fellow apostle, he too wouldโve been executed (vv. 2-3). But โthe church was earnestly praying to God for himโ (v. 5; see vv. 11-12). During his imprisonment, Peter experienced the peace that only Jesus could give (see John 14:27).
In the Old Testament, David also had confident trust in God and experienced His peace: โIn peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safetyโ (Psalm 4:8; see 3:5). No matter what weโre facing today, we can turn our situation over to God, knowing that we can trust Him and experience the peace He alone provides (Philippians 4:6-7).
Credit: Our Daily Bread devotionals
