David Bahn – Reflections

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Acts 12:1-11

About that time Herod the king laid violent hands on some who belonged to the church. ² He killed James the brother of John with the sword, ³ and when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. This was during the days of Unleavened Bread. ⁴ And when he had seized him, he put him in prison, delivering him over to four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending after the Passover to bring him out to the people. ⁵ So Peter was kept in prison, but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church.

⁶ Now when Herod was about to bring him out, on that very night, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries before the door were guarding the prison. ⁷ And behold, an angel of the Lord stood next to him, and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him, saying, “Get up quickly.” And the chains fell off his hands. ⁸ And the angel said to him, “Dress yourself and put on your sandals.” And he did so. And he said to him, “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me.” ⁹ And he went out and followed him. He did not know that what was being done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. ¹⁰ When they had passed the first and the second guard, they came to the iron gate leading into the city. It opened for them of its own accord, and they went out and went along one street, and immediately the angel left him. ¹¹ When Peter came to himself, he said, “Now I am sure that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.”

The movie Awakenings tells the story of neurologist Dr. Malcolm Sayer (Robin Williams), based on Sacks, who discovers the beneficial effects of the drug L-DOPA in 1969. He administers it to catatonic patients who survived the 1917–1928 epidemic of encephalitis lethargica. Leonard Lowe (Robert de Niro) and the rest of the patients are awakened after decades and have to deal with a new life in a new time. (Thanks to Wikipedia for that summary.) The positive effects of the drug do not last, however, and the patients return to their catatonic state.

Peter is not a victim of encephalitis lethargia, however. He is in a near catatonic state because he could not process what was happening to him in real time. He had been in jail. Chained between two watchmen. Guarded by four squads of soldiers. Sentries at the gate. Now he’s walking out of the jail. Gates are opening automatically before him. He’s no longer in jail. He’s on the street.

How does one process this? He had to come to himself. Awaken from his stupor. Become aware of the reality he had just experienced. I would have to do the same thing. I can’t really imagine having such an unusual experience. I would have to come to my senses too.

We’ve been talking a bit more recently about mindfulness. It’s not that I’m not mindful, it’s just that I may occasionally neglect to think about what I’m doing. Oh, I guess that is a lack of mindfulness. But silliness aside, being present and aware of what is going on around you is both a growing challenge and an urgent need. We’re bombarded hourly by invitations to get away. Dream of a vacation. Play this video game. Use these VR headsets or AI glasses. Get away into your own world. Become the master of your universe.

Maybe you’ve seen the silly things people do while wearing these devices. Maybe you’ve done some of them yourself. That points out the need to anchor yourself in the here and now. Rather than escaping through a real or imagined vacation, we need to be where we are…with purpose. Rather than snoozing through the blessings of God, unaware of his daily provision, his providential guidance, and even his angelic ministrations, we need to wake up to what God is doing.

Wake, Awake! For Night is Flying! This is the call of God for his people. Isaiah has it this way: Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you.” (Isaiah 60:1) And that’s just one example. There are many others. God would have us fully awake and aware of his work in our world and our lives. His angels are watching over us. His servants are providing for our needs. His people are singing his praises. His messengers are calling us to repent and believe. 

It may be easier to live in a dream world. But it’s not healthy. Nor is it productive. Better to listen to his messengers, see his provision, rejoice in his blessings, and take note of his presence every day.