This post is Day 19 in a series of studies about “Doors & Gates”. I strongly suggest you begin with the introduction to this study, please click here to read it.

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Doors & Gates – Day 19

There are many things in this story that we could focus on but as we are looking at doors the locked door is the most interesting. Rhoda the servant girl who went to see who was at the gate was so excited she ran back without opening the door!

Acts 12:13

Peter knocked at the outer entrance, and a servant named Rhoda came to answer the door.

The Thought

From a miraculously open prison door to a locked house door. This story is a message to us to expect the unexpected. Maybe Peter was praying for freedom from prison, or even just expecting it because he had already been miraculously delivered at least once. We read about that yesterday. But he certainly wasn’t expecting to find a locked door at the house where he knew the other believers were praying for him.

In yesterday’s verses we don’t know who was with him. But in this one he was definitely all alone, except of course for the guards to whom he was chained. But two guards and a lot of chains were no hindrance for the angel.

There are many things in this story that we could focus on. But as we are looking at doors the locked door is the most interesting. Rhoda the servant girl who went to see who was at the gate was so excited she ran back without opening the door! The sad thing is that after her not opening the door, the people inside didn’t believe what she said! How often do we not believe it, or not recognise it when we have our prayers answered?

So often in my life I have prayed for sick people to be healed. And I have seen many, but often I have not known it, or recognised the healing as an answer to prayer. If there is a time delay we often don’t link the prayer with the answer.

Action

Praise God today that He does answer prayer.

Praise Him for some of the answers you have already received for yourself or for others.

Ask yourself today if you have missed recognising answers to prayer. Apologise to The Lord and ask Him to open your eyes to recognise answers.