Rhoda and answered prayer

And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a girl named Rhoda came to answer. When she recognized Peter's voice, because of her gladness she did not open the gate, but ran in and announced that Peter stood before the gate. – Acts 12.13-14

This is one of my favourite parts of the book of Acts. We already know that the church was meeting to pray without ceasing for Peter's release from prison. As they were praying on the night before Herod was going to bring Peter out to the people something strange happened.

Peter was chained to two groups of soldiers when an angel struck him on the side, told him tout his sandals and robe on, and follow him.  Peter didn't know if it was an angel or a dream, but he decided to follow the angel as they walked past both sets of guard and watched the prison doors open on their own. Suddenly Peter found himself outside the prison and free! It wasn't a dream, God had truly sent an angel to deliver him.

Peter made his way to the home where the church was meeting and knocked at the door. A girl named Rhoda answered, heard Peter, and was so excited she ran back to the praying group, leaving Peter locked outside!

It gets worse.  When she told the assembled believers what had happened they thought she was crazy. They figured Peter was dead by now and it was his ghost at the gate.

Meanwhile Peter is still knocking at the gate.

Finally it is all resolved (you have to read Acts 12 to get the whole account. It is brilliant, especially when they come to let Peter in!)

So what do we get from this?

I think we see an example of the power of prayer even when we are not totally convinced that it is going to ‘work.’

My encouragement for the day? Pray without ceasing and trust that God really is going to work.