And Can It Be

by Charles Wesley

an excerpt...

Long my imprisoned spirit lay,
Fast bound in sin and nature's mournful night;
Thine eye diffused a quickening ray;
I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.

Now, Acts 12:6-7

The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries stood guard at the entrance. Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. "Quick, get up!" he said, and the chains fell off Peter's wrists.

What a glorious Gospel picture! While we were still asleep, enslaved and chained to our sins, Christ did what we could not. He conquered the grave, and called us out. He broke the chains and brought us to life. Hallelujah!