God loves using ordinary people for His glory.
This week, we’ve been exploring Peter’s miraculous escape from prison in Acts 12. Today, we get to my favourite part of the story because, honestly, it’s hilarious to me. It’s so comical, imagining the scenes is almost like watching a Tom and Jerry cartoon.
After Peter is rescued by the angel, he decides to go to the house where the other believers are gathered, praying for his release:
Peter knocked at the outer entrance, and a servant named Rhoda came to answer the door. When she recognised Peter’s voice, she was so overjoyed she ran back without opening it and exclaimed, ‘Peter is at the door!’ ‘You’re out of your mind,’ they told her. When she kept insisting that it was so, they said, ‘It must be his angel.’ – Acts 12:13-15
The servant was so overjoyed that she forgot to open the door, and poor Peter, now a fugitive, is left standing in the street while his friends argue whether it’s him at the door or his angel. Can you imagine? You just want to scream, “Can someone please open that door!”
What’s also funny to me is that they think it’s more likely that an angel has appeared than that Peter, who they believe is in prison, is at the door.
I don’t know if you’ve had many angels at your door? But I have never! Apparently, they didn’t believe there was any way Peter could have escaped prison.
What stands out to me most, as I reflect on this story, is how incredibly human all the characters are. Forgetfulness, unbelief, chaos, excitement, confusion – there’s a whole range of human reactions on display.
We sometimes idolise spiritual leaders, such as pastors or worship leaders, which can create the impression that they are holy or flawless, but that’s not true.
Let this story be your reminder that God loves using ordinary people for His glory.
