Peter finally came to his senses. “It’s really true!” he said. “The Lord has sent his angel and saved me from Herod and from what the Jewish leaders had planned to do to me!”
When he realized this, he went to the home of Mary, the mother of John Mark, where many were gathered for prayer. Acts 12:11-12
The previous post was about Rhoda and never underestimating the power of an earnest prayer. But it’s also a reminder to see what miracles we’ve left standing outside because we forgot to open the door. If you haven’t read the post, you can read it here.
Now it’s time to leave Rhoda behind and look from Peter’s perspective. What was it like waiting to be let in?
To understand his experience we need to go back and find out why Peter was there in the first place.
Peter’s backstory
After having James killed, Herod Agrippa I arrested Peter. Not because he broke any laws but because Herod saw how much James’ death pleased the Jews. He wanted to continue that momentum. The only glitch was the fact it was Passover. So Herold decided to imprison Peter and set his trial for the day after the Passover celebration.
To ensure his prisoner didn’t escape, Herod had soldiers watch him around the clock. This is where our story begins. It’s the night before his trial and Peter’s chained between two guards, fast asleep.
Peter’s ‘vision’
Suddenly Peter is awakened by an angel. But he thinks it’s a vision; after all, he’s had visions before. The angel tells him to put on his clothes then his coat and sandals and follow him. Peter does as instructed and follows the angel. Remarkably the two guards chained to him never woke up. Not only that, but Peter and the angel walked past two guard posts and no one sounded the alarm.
Their last barrier was the iron gate, it separated the prisoners from the rest of the world. Miraculously, the gate opened of its own accord without the use of a key. Peter and the angel pass through. Once Peter’s safely walking on the street, the angel disappears.
Freedom
Now it’s just Peter standing outside the prison, unbound, fully clothed and free. It was at this moment the Bible says “Peter came to his senses” and realized this wasn’t a vision. It was real. The Lord had sent his angel to save him!
There’s nothing more thrilling than seeing God working so tangibly or feeling His presence so near. In freeing Peter, God took care of every obstacle while Peter basically did what he was told. It was an amazing, humbling, mountain-top experience.
Going from that high, Peter’s first act of freedom was to go to Mary’s house – this is John Mark’s mother. He knew a group of believers had gathered at her house for prayer. And that’s when he comes face to face with another door.
From elation to a closed-door
Imagine the elation of witnessing God’s power one moment, then the frustration of coming face to face with a closed door the very next. Especially since the first door Peter had walked through opened spontaneously without any effort but this one, which should’ve opened at his first knock, doesn’t.
It would be so easy if God always worked the same way. If He miraculously opened closed doors once we expect Him to continue to do the same in the future. It’s much harder to stand in front of a closed door when we know God can open it and yet He doesn’t.