Scott and Angie Bentley

I never seem to read the famous “Do not worry” passage in Matthew 6 except for those times I seem to, well, uh, worry.

I’m sorry. I mean I have a friend. She worries.

Yeah, she worries.

She worries that she doesn’t work hard enough.

She worries that the bump on her left hand that suddenly got hard is cancer.

I worry…ahemm…I mean she worries that God won’t come through.

And she worries what people will think that she worries even though she knows Truth.

So, she tells me that today, in Luke 12, she saw something new in verses 25 &26:

“Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? [actually, it's 'a single cubit to his height'] Since you cannot do this little thing, why do you worry about the rest?

Wow. Adding something, whether it be a single hour to my life or a cubit (finger tip to elbow, I think) is crazy-impossible.

And God knows that. He drives home the point.

Angie, if you don’t have the power to get 25 hours in today nor the ability to hit 6′6…don’t bother worrying about the rest.

And the amazing contrast is the fact that God has the ability to do those things. He has power.

As it says further down in verse 29, “Do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it.”

In verse 31, “But seek His kingdom, and these things [food, drink, clothes, etc] will be given to you as well.

It’s about what I set my heart on…what my friend sets her heart on.

I can set my heart on the things God already knows I need (see v. 28) or I can set my heart on Him and His power for meeting my needs.

I’ll have to tell my friend.

God never puts His kids in a fair fight. (So that He gets all the glory when He swoops in as the hero.)

I heard that once, long ago, and life seems to prove it. Acts 12 proves it, too.

If Peter had a journal with him, I wonder what it might have read. If I was him here’s what I’d have penned:

“So, it’s not looking good. My dear brother James was just killed by the sword. I can’t believe the rage and the jealousy the Jews have for us who follow Jesus. How I want them to see the truth, too…but I might not see that day.

“Herod has me in this pitch-black, damp, rotting prison. Word is that he’s putting me on public trial tomorrow. I may get to see James very soon. And Jesus, how I long to see Him again.”

Peter was guarded by 4 squads of 4 soldiers each, according to verse 4.

That night before the trial, he slept between 2 soldiers, bound with chains and sentries stood guard at the entrance, according to verse 6.

Not looking good for any kind of escape. Even for David Copperfield.

Amidst those circumstances in the early morning hours, his friends were “earnestly praying to God for him” and something amazing was near.

An angel of the Lord woke Peter. “Quick, get up!” and the chains fell off his wrists.

After putting on his clothes, sandals and a cloak, Peter followed the angel. They passed the first and second guards and came to the iron gate leading to the city.

It opened by itself. (I would have loved to have seen that.)

Suddenly, the angel left.

Then Peter came to himself and said, “Now I know without a doubt that the Lord sent His angel and rescued me from Herod’s clutches and from everything the Jewish people were anticipating,” (verse 11).

Peter then goes to the house of the friends who were burning the midnight oil praying.

(Bet his heart was racing, excited to show up on their doorstep and tell them what happened.)

He knocks at the door and Rhoda, a servant girl answers. She reports to the friends that it’s Peter and…ready for this?

They say, “You’re out of your mind.”

They’re praying for Peter to be released (I assume that’s at least part of what they were praying for him) but then are astonished (v. 16) that God actually answered their prayers.

I’ve been thinking on this for 3 days now. How I’m like this! I pray boldly for God to move in a way in my life when reality says, “Um…that may not be practical to ask, Angie.”

But then I’m astonished when God answers.

The Bible says that nothing is impossible for God. Nothing.

Seas are parted.

The blind see.

A woman touches the hem of Jesus’ robe and 14 years of bleeding is suddenly halted.

A little boy’s lunch feeds more than his mom initially thought when she packed it that morning.

Peter is freed the day before a trial that might have taken his life.

May I remember that today.

Nothing is impossible with God, even if it’s unlikely with men.

Jennifer, one of my best friends, married Kevin Grant on Saturday. What a day of celebrating we had!

Check out the pictures.

It was our first wedding to attend as the Bentleys. How we appreciated all of the wedding-week elements, having gone through it all ourselves almost 5 months ago!

We drove to Loveland, Colorado today to spend time helping our dear friends Jennifer and Kevin with last minute wedding prep for Saturday.

Well, and, to be honest, we just wanted a bit more time with them. (Since Kevin won the “red rover” game and Jennifer’s moving from Orlando to Memphis.)

When we crossed into Colorado from Nebraska it seemed that everywhere we looked we saw splashes of yellow.