They were amazed ...

Hear the word of God:

About that time King Herod Agrippa began to persecute some believers in the church. He had the apostle James (John's brother) killed with a sword. When Herod saw how much this pleased the Jewish people, he also arrested Peter. (This took place during the Passover celebration.) But while Peter was in prison, the church prayed very earnestly for him. Then he imprisoned him, placing him under the guard of four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring Peter out for public trial after the Passover.

The night before Peter was to be placed on trial, he was asleep, fastened with two chains between two soldiers. Others stood guard at the prison gate. Suddenly, there was a bright light in the cell, and an angel of the Lord stood before Peter. The angel struck him on the side to awaken him and said, "Quick! Get up!" And the chains fell off his wrists. Then the angel told him, "Get dressed and put on your sandals." And he did. "Now put on your coat and follow me," the angel ordered.

So Peter left the cell, following the angel. But all the time he thought it was a vision. He didn't realize it was actually happening. They passed the first and second guard posts and came to the iron gate leading to the city, and this opened for them all by itself. So they passed through and started walking down the street, and then the angel suddenly left him.

Peter finally came to his senses. "It's really true!" he said. "The Lord has sent his angel and saved me from Herod and from what the Jewish leaders had planned to do to me!"

When he realized this, he went to the home of Mary, the mother of John Mark, where many were gathered for prayer. He knocked at the door in the gate, and a servant girl named Rhoda came to open it. When she recognized Peter's voice, she was so overjoyed that, instead of opening the door, she ran back inside and told everyone, "Peter is standing at the door!" "You're out of your mind!" they said. When she insisted, they decided, "It must be his angel.”

Meanwhile, Peter continued knocking. When they finally opened the door and saw him, they were amazed. He motioned for them to quiet down and told them how the Lord had led him out of prison. "Tell James and the other brothers what happened," he said. And then he went to another place."
Acts 12:6-17

There are so many things about this passage that excite me and make me just stand in awe at the glory of the Lord. Peter getting woke up by an angel. The angel walking him out right past the guards. Their long journey out of the compound. So many amazing things that happened to Peter in this exciting experience.

While he was in jail though, there was another story going on in that same city. The church was very earnestly praying for him. What happens? The angel comes, the adventurous journey happens, and then Peter shows up at the door of a prayer meeting. Peter knocks at the door. He is in such anticipation. He is just longing to be able to tell his brothers and sisters what just happened. He hears footsteps coming. He yells out in excitement. Rhoda recognized his voice and what does she do? She turns and runs to tell everyone who is at the door. The praying church thought she was out of her mind and thought that it must be his angel. Did they think that Peter was dead? Did they think that he had become an angel all of a sudden? Why didn't they think that their prayer had been answered?

We all sit here and think the same thing. We all sit here and think, why didn't they believe that it could happen? God has done so many other amazing things in full view of these people. I write all of this and remind us of this story, because I want us to remember that same lesson when we begin our prayers. When our co-worker, friend, family member, neighbor, person we don't even know, asks us to pray for them we should be on the lookout for this prayer to come true. We should wait in eager anticipation to see what amazing things God is going to do.

What's going on in your life right now? What do you need to lay at the feet of Jesus and wait eagerly for? Who should you be praying in anticipation for? I wonder what would happen to our faith if we prayed like this? An overflowing of faith will start pouring out of our lives, because we believe wholeheartedly in the amazing power of our glorious God. Let's give it a try!

Jason