"CHIN UP AND KNEES DOWN!"

  When I encounter an unpleasant circumstance in my life, I am learning that my perception and my emotions will determine how I will choose to respond to the circumstance.  As I prepared my reading in Acts 12, I had written beside the events of Acts 12 a quote by Alan Redpath, "Keep your chin up and your knees down, we're on the victory side!"  This is a "by faith" statement that refuses to look at the circumstance from emotions only.  

Herod Agrippa is now "King of the Jews".  He is the grandson of Herod the Great who reigned during the birth of Christ. After his death,  Herod Antipas comes to reign.  With his death, (?), Herod Agrippa is reigning.  He is partly Jewish and uses his ethnicity to its fullest advantage.  He has already had James, the brother of John murdered.  It is so pleasing to the Jews, that now, Simon Peter has made the "Hit List" to be the next victim.  Peter's preaching and miracles have given strong testimony that Jesus is the Son of God. 

Peter is taken prisoner by Herod Agrippa right before the Feast of Unleavened Bread.  He opts not to kill Peter until after Passover  and retains him in prison.  He is guarded by four squads of four soldiers each.  "BUT the church is earnestly praying to God for Peter." You can just imagine what the perception of the young church is in regard to Peter...perhaps another repeat of death and a major blow to the young church also... a repeat of the trial and the death of Christ!  God has another plan and purpose for Peter and the young church.  An angel appears to Peter, wakes him up, removes his chains, and instructs him to put on clothes, sandals, cloak, and follow him.  One wonders how does all this activity not awaken the squads who are guarding Peter?  When Peter is safely out of the confines of prison, the angel leaves him, and Peter goes to the house of John Mark where many of the church are praying.  He enters the home and gives his reports of his release.  There are mixed emotions of joy and astonishment that Peter is safely present among them.  We are often like this group of pray-ers...astonished and full of joy when our prayers are answered! Meanwhile back at the prison, a great commotion is going on among the guards and Herod Agrippa adds to his list of murders, the prison guards. 

In the crunch or the press of events around or involving you and me, are we deliberate to keep our "knees down" bombarding the Heavens for God's divine intervening?  I realize from experience, that God may not always intervene as I have requested, but He is present and has been as I am walking out the event giving me His grace to fight the good fight of the faith, a long process at times...regardless of what it looks and feels like. I get to TRUST HIM for the results. Reminder from Priscilla Shirer that our emotions are not intelligent, but are feelers.  Father, my knees are down, and I am trusting YOU to intervene to YOUR glory and for my spiritual good...Romans 8:28.  Forever learning.  In process!  #IHAVETHREESONS.