Friday, August 12, 2016
Acts 12:5 So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.
PRAYER CARE
The assembly was praying. Not that one Christian praying is somehow inadequate, but it shows how united they were in the faith. As one they were bringing their prayers to God on Peter's behalf, filling the spiritual air-waves with their earnest petitions. We aren't told exactly what they said, but we are told how they prayed: with great fervor, straining to cast this great care upon Him who cared for all of them.
Meanwhile Peter was sleeping between two soldiers on that night before his trial. You know what happened. When the angel came in the middle of the night and released him, Peter thought he was dreaming at first. When he realized that the Lord had brought him out of prison, he went to where the church was meeting. He knocked on the door. A young girl named Rhoda came to answer it. She recognized his voice, and instead of opening the door, she ran to tell the others. They wouldn't believe her, and Peter kept knocking. When they finally opened the door, and saw Peter, they were astonished!
Why were they so surprised? Wasn't this what they were praying for? Were they praying half-heartedly, like those who figure that nothing will come of their prayer anyway? Nothing of the kind! They were praying fervently. But they were not dictating solutions to the Lord. They were casting their cares upon Him, and leaving them there, in His capable hands. That is what prayer is. And when we pray, we too may be just as astonished at the wonderful way the Lord answers. One way or another, He will deliver us, and we will glorify Him.
