Resting On A Promise
Since I started writing this blog 5 years ago, thousands of people around the world have contributed to its circulation and success. One of the most impactful contributors has been Judge Karen Gauff, who is a member of the church that I am privileged to serve. Judge Gauff is a Los Angeles Superior Court Judge, and she provides me with weekly editorial assistance and invaluable insight on how to to sharpen my skills. I recently wrote a blog to which she wrote such an impressive response that I could not resist the opportunity to share it with you. I plan to begin more consistently sharing the amazing feedback that so many of you share with me. It is an honor to be a part of such a powerful community! May we never forget that “iron sharpens iron.”
-Pastor Joseph Carlos Robinson
So often our uniqueness as individuals guides our perspective, which is why no two people see the same thing exactly the same way.
Recently, I had the pleasure of reading a well written blog authored by a highly intelligent Bible scholar who I feel privileged to have as a mentor and under Shepard. In that blog, entitled, Sleeping Through the Harvest, Pastor Robinson described Apostle Peter sleeping at a critical time that could have cost him precious harvest gathering time.
The story unfolds in Acts 12:1-13 when Peter was arrested on the heels of Apostle James being executed by King Herod Agrippa l, nephew to Herod Antipas and grandson to King Herod the Great. The Bible describes Peter being put in jail to be put on trial the next day. However, there is a profile for the notion of justice for the government in which the Herods reigned.
This profile includes the execution of Apostle James without a trial in addition to John the Baptist being executed by Herod Antipas without a trial. Matthew 14:1-12 Also, our savior, Jesus, was put on trial and unjustly crucified under Heron Antipas’ reign as well. And by all earthly accounts, it now seems likely that Peter, too, is going to be executed after a Herod’s kangaroo trial.
When I read the blog that admonished Peter for sleeping during Harvest, I chuckled at first because I thought, “If nothing else, Peter was consistent. I was thinking of Peter and the others sleeping in the garden of Gethsemane when Jesus asked Peter, James and John to pray one hour. Matthew 26:36-46. Then I also thought about the fact that Peter was on a boat with Jesus when a storm rose up and Peter and the other disciples were terrified that they were about to die, and they found Jesus sleeping on a pillow. They had to wake Jesus because that storm had not woken him up. Mark 4:35-39,41 NLT I laughed at that because it made me think maybe Peter was modeling the behavior of our Savior Jesus when he was in this jail cell with a death warrant likely over his head. And then the Lord showed me something else that made me think back on my childhood.
My maternal grandparents migrated from Oklahoma and Texas and had very little education in their arsenal. They survived and even thrived during certain periods. I recognized that one of their methods of survival was passing down stories using proverbs. And so, I grew up learning a lot of proverbs and tongue-in cheek characterizations like, two heads are better than one or don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing or one of my favorites, there’s more than one way to skin a cat. As I contemplated this last statement, I considered the implications of Peter’s predicament from a legal perspective. How could he sleep so soundly that an Angel would have to strike him to arouse him with all we now know about Peter’s situation?
In pondering Peter’s unenviable situation, I was reminded of one of the post resurrection conversations Jesus had with Peter in John 21:15-22 NLT, which reads,
[15] After breakfast Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these? “Yes, Lord,” Peter replied, “you know I love you.” “Then feed my lambs,” Jesus told him. [16] Jesus repeated the question: “Simon son of John, do you love me?” “Yes, Lord,” Peter said, “you know I love you.” “Then take care of my sheep,” Jesus said. [17] A third time he asked him, "Simon son of John, do you love me?" Peter was hurt that Jesus asked the question a third time. He said, "Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you." Jesus said, "Then feed my sheep. [18] "I tell you the truth, when you were young, you were able to do as you liked; you dressed yourself and went wherever you wanted to go. But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and others will dress you and take you where you don't want to go." [19] Jesus said this to let him know by what kind of death he would glorify God. (emphasis added)
In meditating on this passage, the Lord revealed another symbolic statement Peter could have been making by going into such an intentional sleep in that jail cell. Well, we know that Jesus was 33 1/2 when he was crucified and in the Jewish culture rabbis were usually older than their students (disciples). Some writers indicate that disciples were usually teenagers or young adults. Given that Peter was married, it’s likely he was a young adult. Assuming this is true, Peter knew he could not be executed because of the prophecy/promise Jesus gave him about getting old and stretching out his hands while needing others to dress him and lead him around. So, Peter knew that the promise made in Jesus’ prophecy could not happen if he was executed by Herod Agrippa I. And if he couldn’t be executed, he might as well go to sleep. And if he was going to go to sleep, he might as well have a good night’s rest.
To the amazing insight surmised in my mentor and under Shepard’s blog, I’d like to add that Peter may have taken off his shoes and his coat to get comfortable in captivity because he knew he was resting on a promise.
This is a good time for you to take stock of the promises in your life so you can rest on those promises and simultaneously not miss your harvest.