Praying Like Peter's Friends

This is a short blog that might develop into a big blog one day. But for now it is a simple reminder of where we put our trust.

I’m trying to keep to my reading schedule. During June I’m reading Breakout Churches by Thom Ranier and the book of Acts found in the New Testament. I’ve gone through Acts before, but God is giving me new insights that are so very refreshing. One insight I read of today puts prayer in perspective.

In chapter 12 of Acts Peter escapes from prison with the help of an angel. After he realized that it wasn’t a dream, he went to find some friends. [I think we would all do that. I mean, an angel of the Lord came and got him out of prison. I’d tell my friends too.] He went to a house where a bunch of folks were praying for his release; unfortunately, he was met with some resistance. Here is the text:

Acts 12:11-17
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.

Thank God for Rhoda, but re-read verse 15. The very people that were praying for his safety didn’t believe that he was safe! Did they not believe their own prayers? Did they not believe in the power of God?

As I read that I thought, “what are they thinking?”

Then it dawned on me – I am ashamed to say it, but more times than not I lose sight in the power of God when I pray.

When we lose sight of Gods power when we pray we are merely going through motions. It’s time we stop praying like Peter’s friends and start believing what we are praying.

It’s time to get excited about what God is doing!