Acts 12:1 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 episode begs a question: why was Peter set free, when James got killed. God has his purpose and reasons- reasons that our finite mind cannot understand. He allows it for good; we have to believe that even in the worst of all situations, God is still good in there. (Gen 51;20 you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive) God's purpose for James has come to a bloody end. Not yet for Peter. God still has other agendas for him before - you guessed- setting him for a bloody end as well.
I fully agree with the different agendas thing but how to explain to non Christians? They keep asking me this question and I do have trouble conveying my thoughts to them. They accuse God of being unfair but I think that you can't accuse one of unfairness when you don't or can't see the bigger picture. And it's really hard to put forth what the bigger picture thing (or rather, what I believe the bigger picture- eternity- to be).. Haha! Difficult situation...They ask really interesting questions right? Haha!
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