God doesn't call in sick on our off days.

I don't know why but I'm remembering a bunch of old songs this week that I sang as a boy. Today I was reminded of the Paul and Silas song my Mom used to sing, "Paul and Silas were in jail, they sang hymns and prayed, then an angel loosed their bonds, the jailer was afraid..."

I always thought that song meant that when I was in trouble I should sing and pray. But my experiences have taught me that sometimes (though it shouldn't be this way) those are the last things you want to do. I think that was the case for Peter in Acts 12:6-11. Peter is in the same situation, jail. But his attitude is a little different from Paul and Silas. Peter is asleep (not singing or praying). He is chained between two guards, that is, chained TO two guards. There are also soldiers at two different posts moving away from his cell. And there is a large, locked gate that separates the city outside from the Jail inside. He is stuck. So he sleeps.

That is, until an angel, "struck him in the side." Did you ever hear of another angel acting this way? I'm thinking he was in the angel etiquette program... and failed. He's like the Rambo of Angels. Or Rocky angel, "Yo, Pete... get up!" I have to assume, since it happened every other time, that the angel tried to wake Pete, er, Peter up like all other angels. "Peter, do not be afraid." That apparently didn't work. So, Rambo Angel got progressively louder and more agitated.

But once Peter is up, the chains fall off. The doors open. Even the large gate, the final barrier, swings open by itself (surely an incredible feat and not likely to happen on accident). Peter doesn't know what's going on. Thinks he's having a dream until the angel disappears as they are walking down the streets of the city. That's usually what happens when you're convinced your situation is too impossible to get out of. You simply cease to see the way out. He believed he was going to die like (the first Apostle to be killed) his friend and fellow Apostle, James. He's in the same jail James was probably housed and killed in! He's chained between two guards! There's guards posted at the doors! There's a huge gate! Its impossible!

Let me get to the point. Peter saw Jesus raise Lazarus. He pulled a coin from the mouth of a random fish. He was the first to preach Jesus and he saw Jesus' resurrected body. But in this case he couldn't see a way out. He couldn't transfer what he had seen, to his current situation. But others were praying. And God moved.

Sometimes when you're in the pit you just can't bring yourself to pray or sing, it's hopeless. But that doesn't mean that God can't work. Others were praying and God rescued him in spite of his current situation and spiritual funk.

He can rescue you too. No matter how hopeless it seems. Let someone know you're hurting. Tell them about your chains. Even if you think you can't move and there is no way out. He can set you free. Even if He has to send Rambo Angel! And when He does, do exactly what Peter does. Run and tell someone what God has done in your life. Celebrate His provision!