Life Journal, February 5, 2009
Today's readings: Exodus 39-40; Psalm 15; Acts 12

No Really

Scripture

5 But while Peter was in prison, the church prayed very earnestly for him.

6 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. 7 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. 8 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.

9 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. 10 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.

11 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!”

12 When he realized this, he went to the home of Mary, the mother of John Mark, where many were gathered for prayer. 13 He knocked at the door in the gate, and a servant girl named Rhoda came to open it. 14 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!”

15 “You’re out of your mind!” they said. When she insisted, they decided, “It must be his angel.”

16 Meanwhile, Peter continued knocking. When they finally opened the door and saw him, they were amazed. 17 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 12.5-17

Observation

God answers prayer.

Application (How will I be different today because of what I have just read?)

I love these verses. They are so typical of us--we pray for God to do something and then when He does we can't believe it. Even Peter--to whom it was happening to--thought it was a vision, not really happening.

How different would our lives be if we really believed that God does amazing miraculous things. No He doesn't do them all the time, but I believe He does them more often than we give Him credit for...often because we don't know what "might have been" without His help.

So today, I will look for the miraculous. Today, I will trust that God is at work--in my life and in the life of others.

Prayer

Father God, we pray, not really expecting You to answer--or at least not in some miraculous way. We miss so much limiting You--afraid to ask too much--because what if You don't answer our prayers our way. We pray for a safe journey and when we arrive safe--we think, well God didn't have to intervene, not even realizing all the times You did--saving us. Lord, Our faith is small. Help us to grow it. Help us to trust You. Help us to pray for the miraculous and then see it!