January 21
2019
Expect and Recognize the Miracle
So when he had arrested him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four squads of soldiers to keep him, intending to bring him before the people after Passover. Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church. And when Herod was about to bring him out, that night Peter was sleeping, bound with two chains between two soldiers; and the guards before the door were keeping the prison. Now behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the prison; and he struck Peter on the side and raised him up, saying, “Arise quickly!” And his chains fell off his hands. Then the angel said to him, “Gird yourself and tie on your sandals”; and so he did. And he said to him, “Put on your garment and follow me.” So he went out and followed him, and did not know that what was done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. When they were past the first and the second guard posts, they came to the iron gate that leads to the city, which opened to them of its own accord; and they went out and went down one street, and immediately the angel departed from him. And when Peter had come to himself, he said, “Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent His angel, and has delivered me from the hand of Herod and from all the expectation of the Jewish people.”
Acts 12: 4-11
Peter was in prison and the church was praying.
When the angel of the Lord showed up to set him free, he was unprepared.
Even as the angel released his chains, directed him to put on his coat and led him through the gates, he believed he was only seeing a vision.
When the angel departed and Peter “had come to himself” he realized that it was all for real and he was freed from the Hand of Herod.
Peter was a believer of great faith.
He knew the church would be praying for him.
And yet, he was unprepared for his miracle and unaware even as it was happening.
How many times do we believe in faith, knowing others are praying with us, and then miss the miracle?
We weren’t expecting it to look that way or to come through that person or circumstance.
We “come to ourselves” at the end and realize what has happened, but we missed it while it was occurring.
We need to be in expectation of the miracle.
We need to be open to the way the miracle will come about.
We need to stay awake and aware, watching and understanding what the Lord is doing in our lives and the lives around us.
Increase our expectation Lord and open our eyes to Your Hand at work!