Prayer is not a last resort, but a powerful tool in God's plan.
In Acts 12 we read how King Herod launches a targeted attack on the church. James is killed. Peter is imprisoned. The situation is more than terrifying.
The congregation does what it can and prays fervently. Meanwhile, Peter sits between two soldiers: chained and guarded. Humanly speaking, escape is impossible. But in the middle of the night, an angel appears. The chains fall off, the doors open by themselves, and Peter walks out as if there were no doors.
The miraculous thing is what happens next. When he knocks on the door of the house where believers pray, at first, they do not believe that it is really him. They pray for deliverance, but are nevertheless surprised when it actually takes place.
This chapter is honest: James is not set free, but Peter is. Why? That remains a mystery. God's ways are not always explainable.
Peter’s escape from prison is one of my favourite stories. In part, because before Peter escaped, James did not escape but was killed. How is that fair? The story forces us to think about trusting God even when life is painful and unfair. The lessons we can learn from this story go way beyond the scope of today’s Chamatkar, but I have turned them into a Bible reading plan on the YouVersion Bible app.
But what is clear is that prayer is not a last resort, but a powerful tool in God's plan.
At the end of the chapter, we read: “The Word of God increased and multiplied.” (Acts 12:24). No king on earth can stop that.
Acts 12 teaches us that even when doors seem closed, God is not limited and that prayer makes the impossible possible.
The congregation prays fervently, but is surprised when Peter actually stands at the door.
Which makes me wonder, do you really expect God to intervene when you pray?
