Message Magazine’s Online Devotional for Tuesday, February 10, 2015
Based Upon Acts 12
Do you have expectant faith?
I don’t know if you have ever heard stories of women who went to the doctor, having strange pains and others symptoms, only to be diagnosed with, pregnancy?
Yes!
I said they were pregnant and did not even know it. You might be saying to yourself, “Well, at some point, most women are pregnant and don’t know it. What’s the big deal?” Oh, I neglected to mention that these unwary mothers were already full-term. I am not a doctor, and obviously, I am not a woman, but I am confused by how that is even possible. How does one carry a baby for more than 34 weeks and have no clue she’s pregnant?
Well, if you don’t know you’re pregnant, you cannot possibly be preparing for the birth of your baby. You are not, in mind, expectant. Therefore, you are not prepared for the blessing of your bouncing new baby.
Interestingly, the people of God are often like these oblivious mothers. And we can see that fact in the story in our theme chapter. As usual, the enemies of God were plotting all sorts of evil against his people. Herod killed many including James, and got it in his tiny little, wicked mind, that he should go after Peter. So, he sent to have him thrown into prison. As with the tomb of Christ, there was a special contingent of soldiers or guards to make certain their prisoner would not get away. Also as at the tomb of Christ, God performed a miracle that nullified the flimsy safeguard Herod employed. An angel who excelled in strength, rescued Peter from that prison, and the guards were completely impotent to do anything about it.
I neglected to mention that the people of God, knowing that their dear Peter had been imprisoned, had a prayer meeting in his honor. They prayed that the Mighty Lion of the Tribe of Judah would roar from heaven and deliver him. The curious thing is that when Peter appeared at the door of their prayer meeting, and the young girl who went to the door announced to those praying that he was at the door, they thought she was insane and did not believe her.
What was so unbelievable about the fact that God answered their prayers? Were they pregnant, spiritually speaking, and did not even know it?
Why were they so surprised when the fruit of their prayers was manifest? They were not even prepared for that which they prayed.
Let us learn a lesson today: We should be amazed when God comes through in our circumstances, but no completely flummoxed that He did. Did He not promise that before we called (if we are faithful to Him) He would answer, and hear us when we call? Accept the blessing of His power to actually answer sincere prayers of those submitted to Him in faith. Ask the Lord to give you expectant faith for today.
