Mysterious Ways
Sunday 18th May 2025
King Herod … had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword.
Peter came to himself and said … ‘the Lord has sent an angel and rescued me from Herod’s clutches.’
Acts 12:1-2, 11 (NIVUK)
Mysterious Ways
Why didn’t the Lord rescue James from Herod’s clutches, as he later did with Peter? Why rescue one apostle and let another be killed? It doesn’t make sense. Surely the early church in Jerusalem could use as many functioning apostles as were available?
It’s pretty clear what Herod’s intentions were. He had Peter arrested when he found that killing James won him popular approval. He planned to bring Peter out for trial once the Passover festival was over, but the night before he was due to enact his plan an angel appeared and led Peter out of prison to safety. (You can read the exciting story for yourself in Acts 12:1-11).
Frankly, we don’t know why the Lord should arrange things like that, but there’s little doubt that Luke, the author of Acts, wants us to see that sometimes God delivers his servants and sometimes he doesn’t. It’s all part of the same story, both the death of James and the rescue of Peter. In our own experience, the Lord may answer one believer’s prayers as they ask and yet leave another’s apparently unanswered.
“This story reminds us that our simplistic assumptions about how God works are woefully inadequate. James’s fate reminds us not to assume that God will always intervene in the way we would like, or the way he has done for others. At the same time, Peter’s release reminds us not to adopt a stoic approach to life – just grit our teeth and get on with it – or to slide into prayerlessness, as though God can never or would never intervene miraculously” (Matthew Hopkinson, Explore notes, April-June 2025).
It may be that we are demanding of God things which he has not promised, or we’ve ceased to ask God things of which he is capable. Which of these two errors do you think you’re most likely to fall into? Over-asking or under-asking? For me, I find I’m tempted to fall into stoic prayerlessness, so this story is something of a wake-up call to me.
William Cowper was someone who wrestled with God’s mysterious ways:
1. God moves in a mysterious way, / His wonders to perform.
He plants his footsteps in the sea / And rides upon the storm.
Deep in the dark and hidden mines, / With never-failing skill,
He fashions all his bright designs And works his sov’reign will.
2. Oh, fearful saints, new courage take: / The clouds that you now dread
Are big with mercy and will break / In blessings on your head.
Judge not the Lord by feeble sense, / But trust him for his grace.
Behind a frowning providence, / He hides a smiling face.
3. God’s purposes will ripen fast, / Unfolding every hour.
The bud may have a bitter taste, / But sweet will be the flower.
Blind unbelief is sure to err / And scan his work in vain.
God is his own interpreter, / And he will make it plain.
Prayer
Lord, your ways are often mysterious. Help me not to judge you by feeble sense, but to trust you for your grace. Amen.
Yours warmly, in Christ,
Chris Hobbs (Senior Minister)