Ben Wilson, LPC

The bible is funny. Really. Some of the stuff in there just cracks me up. Balaam's talking ass is one. This story prompted one of Rich Mullin's professors to say, "God talked through asses way back then and he is still doing it today." That could be a paraphrase but it's pretty close. 

Other events with Ezekiel involving a debate of cooking with animal or human dung and laying on his side for over a year give me a smile and cause me to tilt my head in curiosity like a dog. Deuteronomy 25:11-12 forbids a woman from grabbing the private parts of a man who is fighting her husband. The penalty? Cut off her hand AND show no pity. Really? Was this happening all the time that there was need for a law? Aicheehuahua, crazy times. 

This morning I'm reading in Acts 12. Peter is in jail waiting for Herod to execute him the next day. There is much prayer in the community and miraculously an angel appears, his chains are loosed and he walks free. 

He goes to a place where his friends are all gathered and knocks on the door. Rhoda answers, but she seems to have more the common sense of Carlton Your Doorman. Look it up if you are young. So Rhoda answers and totally geeks out. She runs to tell her friends and never lets Peter into the house. And not just for a bit. Can you see Peter? His hands are up in the air, eyes squinted, wondering what kind of gal keeps him locked out after he just sashayed out of handcuffs and walked by a passle of armed guards and locked doors. 

Probably with a smile on his face he knocks again on the door. Everyone is arguing with Rhoda. No way it's Peter! I mean this is a woman who left an angel or Peter outside so it's not too hard to see why they might not believe her. Eventually, while he stands outside ignored like Ralph Nadar in a presidential election, he bangs on the door, probably hard enough to earn his black belt. The crowd went wild when they finally let himin.

Hilarious isn't it!? Thinking about all Peter went through in an hour or so cracks me up.

It isn't too hard to see some deeper spiritual significance here with parallels to Jesus. Peter escapes death improbably, a woman is the first to see him and her companions don't believe her when she shares that she's seen him. And Peter standing outside can represent Christ and missing relationship with him while we are inside with all our God talk and celebration.

Even so, this morning, it mainly just prompted my soul to smile as Peter stood forgotten on the street after a fantastic miracle.