Called...

"And when Peter had come to himself, he said,

 "Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent His angel, 

and has delivered me from the hand of Herod and from 

all the expectation of the Jewish people." 

Acts 12:11

Peter had been called by God to minister to the Gentile people the love of God, and to welcome them into salvation. 

This call, clear, yet was it accepted by the culture of the Jews? No. 

The Jews instead had expectations to see Peter thrown into prison for such an act.

There we find Peter, in a dark cell, a prisoner. Just recently God had spoken to him clearly in a vision of his call to bring salvation to the Gentile people. Just recently he had witnessed the Lord bring many Gentiles into salvation and baptize them in the Holy Spirit, just as he had seen God do for the Jews. All these excellent things he had seen, but now only prison bars and fear of death. 

Do you not think that he had some thoughts circling in his head? Wondering if he had really heard from God of the call? Wondering how he was to fulfill such a call in a cell? Wondering who would carry on the call for the Gentiles? 

Wondering why such a call, then such a wall?

Have you ever been in such a place? Such a cell of discouragement after such a revelation from the Lord? Have you ever wondered why it seems that after such encounters with God we commonly face such harsh encounters with life?

Yet God sent to Peter an angel to lead him out of the prison, through the gates, and into the freedom of the streets. We then read that when Peter had come to himself and realize the deliverance God had done that he then knew for CERTAIN that the LORD had sent the angel, that the LORD has delivered him, but not just from a cell, but from the hand of Herod and from the expectation of the Jewish people. 

What light to his faith Peter had in walking out of the dark prison! Who was to say that he was free from Herod and the Jewish people, did they not still want him behind bars? Yet in Peter's mind he was confident, he was certain that the Lord had delivered him from their desires against him and his call.

Peter walked out of that prison with a renewed mind, no fear to go against the expectations of the society around him, but to follow the call the LORD had placed on his life.

In those hours within the prison, he learned more of the God of the call, because this God who called, also is the God who delivered, and will be the God who keeps him in the way of following such a call. This call was far greater than any calling threats the Jews could make to him as he sought to minister to the Gentile people.

What has God called you to? Could it be that He spoke, but soon after you found yourself in a prison? Hard times or the "expectations" and opinions of others rose up against you, trapping fear to move forward with the call? 

God used the hard hours to produce confidence and certainty in Peter, He can do the same for you.

He whom the Son sets free is free indeed (John 8:36). Walk in the call, His hand is not to short to deliver whenever need be.