From What Little We Know

Scripture Verse that Caught my attention today: Acts 12:17 He motioned to them with his hand to be silent, and described for them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he added, “Tell this to James and to the believers.” Then he left and went to another place.

Observation: Apparently Peter didn’t know that Herod had already put James to death (if this is the same James).

Application: We don’t always know the full story. For example, sometimes coaches have particular reasons for playing particular players or running particular plays. Novices from the stands may not always understand the strategy and are sometimes prone to form opinions that are not particularly well-informed. We can’t help ourselves.

Here’s a case-in-point. When I made the observation above I assumed that the James that Herod had killed as reported in Acts 12:2 was the same James that Peter was referring to in Acts 12:17. But a quick concordance check reveals that Peter and others are reported to have spoken with James in Acts 15:13 and Paul speaks with him in Acts 21:18. Furthermore, Acts 1:13 speaks of James and also James son of Alphaeus, thus revealing that there are at least two people by the name of James in the book of Acts. So my whole premise for this particular devotion has been crushed in one fall swoop of a concordance search!

THIS is what it’s like to be human—to know some things but not everything. To know part of the story, but not all of the story. But here’s the good news nevertheless…by the grace of God we are IN the story ourselves. And that may be all that’s necessary. As long as we know that we are in God’s story, we know that we are in a very good place.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for finding a way to include me, through Christ, in your unfolding story and drama in this world. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

(Readings today included: Job 6-8 and Acts 12)