Departed But Not Deserted

“When they were past the first and the second ward, they came unto the iron gate that leadeth unto the city; which opened to them of his own accord: and they went out, and passed on through one street; and forthwith the angel departed from him.” (Ac 12:10 AV)

The LORD broke Peter out of prison.  He sent a messenger to guide him from his prison bars to the gates of the city.  Once passing through the gates, the angel left Peter and from there, Peter went to a prayer meeting at a private home.  God does not need angels to do His work.  He is very much capable of performing all He needs to do by Himself.  He chooses to use angels for a variety of reasons.  One of those reasons is comfort.  Another is guidance.  Remember, God can perform these by Himself.  He can comfort and He can guide without the use of angels.  Angels are more for our benefit than His need.  This angel, whoever he might have been, left Peter as soon as he was out of immediate danger.  Once departed from the city, Peter knew where to go.  He knew where the prayer meeting was held and how to get there.  Once the city gates were closed behind him, the likelihood that anyone would be looking for him would be small.  Practically speaking, there was no need for such an obvious manifestation of the hand of God once Peter was out of the city.  Even though Peter would have enjoyed the company of the angel until he reached the meeting, it wasn’t absolutely necessary.  Sometimes we may want an obvious manifestation of God’s guidance, provision, and care; but it may not be necessary.  This is where faith takes over.  With the angel, Peter only needed to exercise enough faith to follow.  When he departed, the need for faith was greater.  If God is with us in such a way as faith became obsolete, we would cease to spiritually grow.  The angel will be there when absolutely necessary.  The rest of the way is by faith.

This reminds me of raising children and sending them off on a milestone event.  Like sending them off to kindergarten or taking the training wheels off a bicycle.  Once they learn their situation is under control, they no longer need our immediate presence.  This does not mean we abandon them.  We watch in the distance to assure they are safe.  We provide ahead of time that which they will need to navigate through new situations.  But we do not need to directly intervene.  As my son’s pitching coach, taking him to college try-outs was difficult.  As his coach, I was always the one to make mound visits.  I was the one to shout instructions from the dug-out or stands.  I was the one who watched him and helped mi make adjustments.  I still remember his first audition.  It was for SUI.  The Southern University of Illinois.  I remember walking to the registration table.  I remember signing him in and getting all the information he would need for the day.  Then I distinctly remember being ushered to the stands as my son went through try-outs.  I could produce a video from my mind of his entire four-hour day.  Sprints, fielding, batting, and then pitching.  I was up in the stands with other parents, coaches, and pro scouts.  There was no one there on the mound to coach him.  No one to shout instructions.  No one to encourage him.  He didn’t need it.  He has pitched for six years.  His trip to the mound was not his first.  He had been there many times before.  He didn’t need me right by his side.  He had to trust all that he had been taught by me and others.

We are not called to live by sight.  We are not allowed to have all the answers to all the questions we could ever imagine.  We are not given the privilege of seeing Jesus face-to-face until we graduate to glory.  This means the angel will depart.  This means we will not always be able to see the obvious ways in which God is working.  We have to learn to trust.  The angel will depart when we are not in absolute need of him.  This does not mean that God has forsaken.  He has not.  He is just as active on our behalf as He was with the angel.  We simply cannot see it as obviously as we did before.  The angel will depart.  But the hand of God still protects, provides, and guides.  There will come a time when we live by sight.  What a day that will be.  Until then, we must learn to follow by faith.  We have to learn that as the angel was with us in the midst of a hostile city, God is always with us even if we cannot see Him.