December 10, 2010

Acts 12:12-19

¹²And when he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John who was also called Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying.

 ¹³When he knocked at the door of the gate, a servant-girl named Rhoda came to answer.

 ¹⁴When she recognized Peter's voice, because of her joy she did not open the gate, but ran in and announced that Peter was standing in front of the gate.

 ¹⁵They said to her, "You are out of your mind!" But she kept insisting that it was so. They kept saying, "It is his angel."

 ¹⁶But Peter continued knocking; and when they had opened the door, they saw him and were amazed.

 ¹⁷But motioning to them with his hand to be silent, he described to them how the Lord had led him out of the prison And he said, "Report these things to James and the brethren." Then he left and went to another place.

 ¹⁸Now when day came, there was no small disturbance among the soldiers as to what could have become of Peter.

 ¹⁹When Herod had searched for him and had not found him, he examined the guards and ordered that they be led away to execution Then he went down from Judea to Caesarea and was spending time there.

Verse 15, along with Matthew 18:10 and Hebrews 1:14, points to the concept of guardian angels.  It is a concept I have typically dismissed, but perhaps it is something I should be thankful for.