Surprised by Answered Prayer

W

hen God answers our prayers, what is our reaction? Do we immediately thank Him joyfully, telling others about it, or are we surprised that He answered; maybe even think, ‘what a coincidence!’

It was like that for the early church when Peter was taken prisoner by Herod. Here’s Peter, in prison, chained up with not one but two chains, and guarded by no less than four squads of soldiers; that’s sixteen altogether.

The church gathered together in prayer – not just any prayer, but the Bible tells us, “but the church was earnestly praying to God for him”Acts 12:5. Yet when Peter turns up at the door of home where they were gathered, they didn’t believe it when a servant girl named Rhoda ran and told them he was at the door. In fact, they said, “you’re nuts” Acts 12:15 (paraphrased) and when she kept on insisting it was Peter at the door, they said, “it must be his angel.” In other words: Nope, it can’t be Peter; he must be dead and his angel is knocking at the door.

So poor old Peter keeps knocking...and knocking and when they finally answered the door and see that it really is Peter, “they were astonished.” Hello, I mean, what’s going on here? This is the early church some of whom would have actually walked and talked with Jesus personally and even seen His miracles, Holy Spirit work through them, and how they sometimes weren’t surprised by what God did, it makes me realise they aren’t so very different to us. God still answers prayer today, and Christians are still sometimes amazed when He does, but we keep praying.

When God answers our prayers, we should be amazed. Not because we didn’t think He would answer our prayers, but amazed over and over again at the greatness and goodness of the God of all creation who loved us so much, that He gave His only Son to die in our place and adopted us as His dearly loved children.