This year is a year of Prayer for Bosnia and Herzegovina. As we pray we must remember to open the door to the answer to our prayer! This phrase came to me when I was reading the story of Peter in Act 12. This is a time of persecution for the early church. After Stephen had been martyred the believers from Jerusalem had been scattered, some to Phoenicia, some to Cyprus, and others to Antioch. Those who have remained behind are being persecuted. King Herod Agrippa has had the apostle James killed with a sword. When he saw how much the Jewish people liked it he also arrested Peter.
Peter is in prison, waiting for a public trail. This obviously isn’t going to be a fair trial. It’ll be a show trial probably leading to a public execution. Things are not looking good for Peter. Understandably the believers, the early church, are praying for him. Peter is asleep in prison the night before he is due in court. Suddenly he gets a punch in the side. It’s an angel, waking him up in a hurry, telling him to get dressed and follow him. Peter does as he is told but part of him thinks he’s probably just dreaming. But he isn’t!
Peter arrives at the house where a prayer meeting for his safety is happening. “He knocked at the door in the gate, and a servant girl named Rhoda came to open it. When she recognised 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!”” Acts 12:12-14
Rhoda forgot to answer the door because she was too excited. At least she believed it really was Peter standing at the door. When she ran to tell the other believers the news their reaction was different. They didn’t believe her. They were praying for Peter’s safety but their faith didn’t stretch to believing that their prayer meeting could be interrupted by the answer to prayer they were looking for. As we pray prayers of faith let’s keep our eyes and ears open for the answers. Let’s recognise when God is at work, doing the things we have been praying for.
Let’s open the door to the answer to our prayer!