To be fully HUMAN — A Daily Reflection

 

Acts 12:3-19 NIV

 

The first time I read this story years ago, I laughed.  When I read it again today, I laughed.  Why?  Because it presents one of the most comical situations recounted in God’s Word.  Comedy comes out of revealing human nature as it really is.  And this situation with Peter is a case in point.

 

Peter was in prison.  He’d been put there by Herod who most likely planned to execute him.  Herod wanted to make sure Peter stayed put until be could be executed, so he had Peter chained - not with just one chain, but with two.  Then Herod placed two soldiers on either side of him and sentries at the entrance to the prison.  There’s no way anybody could get past all that, right?  But Herod wasn’t planning on God’s intervention.  Herod probably didn’t believe in angels… nor did Herod understand the power of prayer.

 

But the whole church was praying for Peter’s release.  That’s a powerful thing, when an entire body of believers is praying for the same thing.  So God sent an angel to release Peter from prison.  At first, Peter thought he was having a vision.  Even he, this great man of faith, had a hard time realizing how powerful God really is.  But the chains fell away, and Peter was escorted past the guards – apparently invisible, the gate opened "by itself," and Peter was a free man!

 

The comical part of this story comes when Peter arrives at the home of Mary where everyone is in the upper room praying for Peter’s release.  Peter calls out.  The servant girl, Rhoda, hears Peter’s voice… but instead of opening the door to let him in, she gets so excited, she runs upstairs to tell everyone that Peter’s been freed.  There’s poor Peter, standing outside in the cold, wishing somebody would just open the door and let him in.  When Rhoda rushes into the room to tell everyone Peter is free, she’s told to be quiet, because they’re praying for Peter’s release!  Their prayer had been answered, but they didn’t believe it!

 

How common and how typical their reaction is.  How many times do you and I pray, receive an answer, and yet don’t believe the answer we receive?  How many times are we surprised when God answers our prayers?

 

Remember this, God answers prayer… every prayer.  Sometimes, He says “Yes.”  Sometimes He says, “No.”  And sometimes, He says, “Wait.”  So, the next time He answers one of your prayers, don’t be surprised… be thankful!