No Joker

  

 It was a time of crisis for the church. Peter had been arrested and jailed. Coming off the heels of James's arrest and execution, the situation looked dire. So, the church turned to the prayer

So Peter was kept in the prison, but prayer for him was being made fervently by the church to God.

 Acts 12:5 

  And God answered their prayer. Peter walks out of prison with the guards none the wiser. He then goes to the house the church was meeting in and knocks at the door.

 But the church wasn’t ready for that…

And when he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John who was also called Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying. When he knocked at the door of the gate, a servant-girl named Rhoda came to answer. When she recognized Peter's voice, because of her joy she did not open the gate, but ran in and announced that Peter was standing in front of the gate. They said to her, "You are out of your mind!" But she kept insisting that it was so. They kept saying, "It is his angel."

Acts 12:12-15

  When Rhoda tells them Peter is at the door, the church that has been fervently praying for his release can’t believe he has been freed. They assume the worst; Rhoda is crazy or Peter is dead. It isn’t until Peter’s continual banging brings them, to the door do they go and see, Yes, it is Peter.

   And they are amazed.

  So, what had they been praying for and why were they amazed when they got it?

  How often do we pray and not expect to receive? Why do we think God is not able? Do we think he is kidding us when he tells us he hears and responds? Why pray if we won’t believe he answers prayer?

 Jesus told us "And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive."(Matthew 21:22) Maybe the problem with our prayers isn’t that God can't or won’t do, it’s that we don’t really believe he can.