Devo Acts 12

Chapter 12
4After arresting him, he put him in prison, handing him over to be guarded by four
squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring him out for public trial after
the Passover. 5So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to
God for him. 6The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping
between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries stood guard at the
entrance. 7Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He
struck Peter on the side and woke him up. “Quick, get up!” he said, and the chains
fell off Peter’s wrists. 8Then the angel said to him, “Put on your clothes and sandals.”
And Peter did so. “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me,” the angel told him.
9Peter followed him out of the prison, but he had no idea that what the angel was
doing was really happening; he thought he was seeing a vision. 10They passed the
first and second guards and came to the iron gate leading to the city. It opened for
them by itself, and they went through it. When they had walked the length of one
street, suddenly the angel left him. 11Then Peter came to himself and said, “Now
I know without a doubt that the Lord sent his angel and rescued me from Herod’s
clutches and from everything the Jewish people were anticipating.” 12When this
had dawned on him, he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, also called
Mark, where many people had gathered and were praying. 13Peter knocked at the
outer entrance, and a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer the door. 14When
she recognized Peter’s voice, she was so overjoyed she ran back without opening it
and exclaimed, “Peter is at the door!” 15”You’re out of your mind,” they told her.
When she kept insisting that it was so, they said, “It must be his angel.” 16But
Peter kept on knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they were
astonished. 17Peter motioned with his hand for them to be quiet and described how
the Lord had brought him out of prison. “Tell James and the brothers about this,”
he said, and then he left for another place.

Meditation:
1. Does getting an answer to prayer depend on firm belief? The gathered church
certainly hoped that God would save Peter but they didn’t even believe it
when Peter stood outside knocking!
2. How often do I pray for God to work and, when he does, react with shock or
disbelief? What does this reveal about my faith?
3. What can I pray that God will do – and wholeheartedly believe that he will
answer? Pray for that today, and continue to do so, with bold confidence and
hope, knowing that God is powerful and is listening to my prayer.

Personal Note:
God answered my prayers beyond my expectations all the time.  We prayed for people to join Crossroad and right now we have see growth.  We prayed for direction in life and God provided clarity and peace for us.  Right now, I am moving on to another life stage and it seems the challenges look difficult.  I pray for God's providence and mercy.  I would like to have a place of my own for fellowship, start a family, and see reconciliation and hope in families.  I pray for the small group leaders and praise team leaders becoming mature disciples in Christ who love God Words, having an close personal relationship with God, and being a blessing to people around them.