After Christ was crucified His little church went through a time of extreme persecution. Herod oppressed Christians to gain favor with the Jewish leaders. He ordered James, the brother of John, killed. Then he imprisoned Peter, the head of the Church, and assigned sixteen soldiers to guard him, intending to turn him over to the mob in the near future.
When Peter’s arrest was made public, Church members prayed for his safety and deliverance. One night, as Peter lay sleeping in shackles, an angel appeared, smacked him in his side, and told him to get up quick. Miraculously, the chains fell from his hands. “Put on your clothes, lace up your sandals and follow me,” the angel instructed. So Peter did. When they came to the iron gate that led into the city it opened by itself. Then the angel left. Peter, unsure about what had happened, (was it a dream?) realized that the Lord had sent him and angel and delivered him from Herod and the Jews (who wanted him dead.)
As he walked, pondering what had happened, he came to the home of Mary, the mother of John (Mark) where many members were gathered together praying for him.
Peter knocked at the gate and a young lady, Rhoda, came to answer the door. When she heard (and recognized) Peter’s voice she was so unprepared for him being there—and flustered, that she left him standing outside while she ran back and told. The people in the house told her she was mistaken, or crazy but she said, “no. Really! Peter’s outside the gate.” They said, “Impossible. Maybe it is his angel.”
Meanwhile, Peter, still standing out front, continued to knock at the door. When the Christians finally opened it, they were shocked. Rhoda had been right.
Peter motioned with his hand for everyone to hold their peace and declared that the Lord had brought him out of prison.
I can SO see myself acting like Rhoda. Praying for a miracle, (the release of Peter from prison.) That miracle happening, (an angel miraculously helped him escape), and then me not being prepared for what I was hoping for and praying for to come true.