Begin with 2 minutes of silence and stillness before God.

I recently read a post that explained how the name of God in the original Hebrew language was written YHWH. No vowels, just the breath sounds of unvoiced consonants. The article theorized that an inhale was the first syllable (YH) and an exhale was the second syllable (WH)—from a baby’s first breath to our final breath, we all whisper the name of the great “I AM” just by breathing. What a lovely and intriguing thought!

Our Creator, who breathed life into humanity, is so worthy to be honored in every breath we take. In Acts chapter 12, we encounter some interesting breathing. We can imagine Rhoda inhaling a gasp of overjoyed excitement when she heard Peter’s voice through the gate door. We can also detect the exhaling scoffs of disbelief from the prayer warriors inside when Rhoda reports that their answer to prayer was standing right outside.

We may believe IN Jesus, but do we BELIEVE Him? The believers in this passage were praying earnestly for Peter. Did they truly believe that God would intervene and allow Peter to be delivered from imminent death? They clearly didn’t expect the late-night knock on the door to be Peter. These were some of the same people who observed Jesus perform miracles, witnessed Him after His resurrection, saw His ascension into Heaven, and received the promised Holy Spirit. What makes believers who have experienced God suddenly lack trust?

It could be argued that Peter didn’t even believe what was happening. Peter, along with the other apostles, had experienced God’s miraculous deliverance from prison before. God had also given Peter a vision symbolizing God’s extension of salvation to the Gentiles. So why did Peter initially believe it was a vision instead of a spirit-led jailbreak? According to biblical timelines, both of those incidents were years earlier. What was happening now? Here’s what—God in His sovereignty had allowed James to be martyred just a few days earlier. Peter, James, and John were the three closest friends of Jesus—the inner circle. Jesus trusted them to tell no one when He resurrected the little daughter of a synagogue leader named Jarius, (Mark 5:37-43). He chose only these three to have the mountaintop experience of the transfiguration, entrusting them to see Him as He really was, the glorified Christ, (Matthew 17:1-2). Jesus took them a little further into the Garden of Gethsemane the night before His crucifixion. He exposed His troubled soul, asking them to pray with Him, (Matthew 26:37-38). Now James was dead, and Peter was faced with the same plight. Would he finish rock-solid or would his beliefs be shaken when confronted with his own death?

Peter had a reputation for, you know…Petering out. He started strong but often dwindled. Peter was the first to know that Jesus was The Messiah, he was also the first to deny knowing him. Peter got out of the boat to walk to Jesus in the middle of a raging storm, but he began having doubts and started sinking, even though he was…WALKING ON WATER! (Matthew 14:22-33) After seeing God give the gift of the Holy Spirit to the Gentiles, Peter baptized them and was the first to associate with this previously forbidden community. Later, he hypocritically stopped eating with these uncircumcised Gentiles because he was afraid of criticism by some Jews who believed the new Gentile converts should still be circumcised in adherence to the law of Moses, (Galatians 2:11-13). Peter’s faith seemed to ebb and flow. As each day in prison passed and Peter was still chained by armed guards, I wonder if his trust in God wavered.

If at times we don’t believe God can or will come through for us, we’re in good company. Even the apostles and original believers weren’t always sure. In those times, we can remember God’s name, “YHWH.” With every breath He is with us, working in us, and using us in ways we cannot imagine.

Take 2 minutes to reflect in silence.

Reflection:

• Examine your heart and your life. Do you believe that Jesus IS enough? Do you believe that He WILL satisfy and comfort you?
• Listen to these praise songs: “Every Breath” by Hillsong Worship; “Yahweh” by Impact Worship.
• Prayer: Father, we praise You for breathing the Holy Spirit into our hearts to draw us to repentance. Today, each time we become aware of our breathing, may it remind us to refocus our attention, thoughts, and passions on You alone.

Family Devo: Acts 12

By: Cody Smith

Today, let's talk about a fascinating story from the Bible in Acts chapter 12. It's about Peter, one of Jesus' disciples, who was put in prison but was miraculously freed by an angel. Let's dive into the story and see what we can learn from it.

Peter was in prison because King Herod wanted to please the people who didn't like Jesus' followers. But the church prayed fervently for Peter, and God sent an angel to rescue him. The angel appeared to Peter, telling him to get up quickly, put on his clothes and follow him. Peter followed the angel, and the prison doors opened by themselves! They walked past the guards, and finally, the angel left Peter on the street and disappeared.

This story teaches us that when we're in trouble, God hears our prayers and can help us in unexpected ways. Peter was in a dangerous situation, but he didn't give up hope because he knew that God was with him. The church prayed for him, and God answered their prayers. We can trust that God will also be with us when we face difficulties.

So, what can we do with this story? We can pray and trust that God will help us when we face trouble. We can also remember to never lose hope and have faith that God is with us in every situation. Let's also remember to thank God for the people in our lives who pray for us and help us when we need it. Finally, let's pray for those who are in difficult situations and ask God to help them too.

• Prayer: Lord, please remind us that You love us and will always be with us, just like You were with Peter. Help us trust You and have faith in Your plan for our lives. Amen.