Answers

Acts 12
15 “You’re out of your mind,” they told her. When she kept insisting that it was so, they said, “It must be his angel.”

Peter has been placed in prison by Herod. Herod has recently discovered that by persecuting the disciples of Jesus, the Jews rally around him. James the brother of John has been put to death by Herod and now Peter will go on trial.

The Church is earnestly praying for Peter. The night before his trial God answers the prayers of the church by sending an angel to free Peter from prison. Freed,Peter goes to the home where the faithful are gathered and knocks on the door to be let in. Let's examine the response to Peter and the prayers they have been praying.

1. Peter knocks on the door, the servant girl recognizes his voice and goes and tells the others. There reaction? She must be out of her mind. The prayers they have been praying were answered and they did not want to believe it.
2. She insists it's Peter. Their next rationale? It must be his angel. Confronted with her urgency they now explain Peter away as an angel.

The disciples are sitting on answered prayer and continue to act as if their prayer wasn't answered.

Is this how we respond when prayers are not answered the exact way we had in mind? Does this thinking cause us to miss answers to prayers because the prayers are not answered in the time and manner we expect?