5/20

Acts 12:14-15

¹⁴Recognizing Peter's voice, in her joy she did not open the gate but ran in and reported that Peter was standing at the gate. ¹⁵They said to her, "You are out of your mind." But she kept insisting that it was so, and they kept saying, "It is his angel!"

Peter had been imprisoned by the religious leaders. There were four squads of soldiers watching his cell. He slept chained to two soldiers. In the middle of the night an angel helped Peter with what I like to call a "Holy Spirit jail break." Peter thought the angel was a vision at first. He went to John Mark's mother's home, where a prayer vigil was being held for Peter's safety.

A servant girl named Rhoda went to see who was at the door. When she heard Peter's voice, she was so excited she left the door locked and went to tell the others. They thought she had heard Peter's spirit. Isn't it strange how we can be praying for something and not recognize the answer when it arrives? We are on our faces pleading with God and God is trying to get us up to see that He has already answered us.

When you pray in faith, watch for the answer to come. Expect it to come. It may not come in the way that you imagine, so be open to whatever way God may decide is best to answer you. You can know that His way is the best way, even when you don't understand. God broke Peter out of jail, but He left Paul in jail to write the epistles that have helped the church for two millennia.

Prayer: Lord, help me to expect You to answer, but also to accept the answer You give me, knowing it comes from Your gracious heart.