My favorite thing about the story of Peter’s escape from prison is that he was sleeping. He was at peace. He wasn’t wrestling in prayer. He wasn’t making any effort toward his release. He put himself into the Lord’s hands and peacefully slept. It’s good to surrender to the Lord’s plans and purposes in our circumstances and to wait, not work.

My second favorite thing about the story is that the church was in earnest prayer. They were on the task. There are times we’re too weary from the battle to be praying. There are times we’re too deep in it to be able to see past the moment in front of us. There are times we’ve prayed so long we don’t feel we have anything else to pray. There are times we could use a team to back us up.

It didn’t matter that there were locked doors and chains and four squads of soldiers (maybe sixteen altogether). It didn’t matter it was late at night. The angel came with his own light.

Peter still had to get up and dress himself. He had to get on his own sandals and wrap his cloak around him. He still had to walk out. God doesn’t just miracle everything. We participate. We have a job too.

Peter, though, thinks this is a vision. He must have had very clear immersive visions!

Peter goes to the house where everyone was gathered praying at that moment. We don’t know the hour, but it was night and they were gathered praying. The expectation was that he could be killed in the morning. They were going to stay up and pray.

Herod in his pride has all the guards killed when Peter is not found. Herod is then killed for his pride, allowing himself to be called a god, receiving the glory instead of giving the glory to God.