Throw Off Your Chains

Today is the feast day of St Peter and St Paul. You might not know that, and I only know that because my church is St Paul’s and we have had a joint service tonight with St Peter’s down the road. It was a great service, but apart from the great fellowship and praise that we shared (not to mention a bloody good sing) I learned a bit more of the story of our respective patron saints.

Perhaps I should have known this already (I have been part of St Paul’s church all my life…) but the story is fascinating. Peter had been arrested by Herod and was due to be tried, but the night before that he was in his cell and chained by both wrists to two soldiers. During the night an angel appeared, hit him on his side and told him to stand up, throw of your chains and walk out of the door. Peter did that and therefore escaped certain death by Herod’s hand and made his way out of the city.  That particular experience was what it took for him to believe in God’s promises to the Jews and his faith was born.

Now then, what’s holding you down? What is chaining you to your cell?  Are you in pain? In despair? Frightened of living? Searching for  answers? How about the balancing the emotional strain of looking after loved ones? Or like me, struggling to deal with physical illness?

How about today you throw off those chains? Can you imagine how free you will feel if you just stand up and escape??!

I’m not for one minute suggesting that as we all sleep tonight a host of angels is going to come down and bash us all in the side with their swords to get the message across, but can you imagine what a difference we will make to the world if we refuse to let our chains continue to bind us?

Come on and join me. Let’s throw off our chains. Let’s see what we can do!