Jesus Isn't Decaf (By Naomi Meyers)

The prayer meeting had been impromptu. They could just as easily have banded together in prayer from the relative safety of their own homes. Desperation laced with fear had brought them creeping out of darkened doorways, sneaking down alleys, slipping around corners, quietly knocking at the door of their established meeting place. The need to be together felt urgent. The current social climate demanded the strength and support of being physically present with one another. The necessity of presenting a united front against the impending onslaught of persecution was obvious. Things were changing for the worst. King Herod was on a rampage. 

Like a cat with a mouse, Herod batted and swiped at the church members. Harassing. Taunting. Terrorizing. James had been beheaded. Peter had been imprisoned. Rumors of his impending murder were not exaggerated. It was only a matter of time. Herod was having a heyday and society was loving it. The general population heralded his success. His group of devotees was growing. His actions were widely applauded. It was a terrifying popularity contest. At least for the church. Unpopular because of their faith and teachings of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, each member knew their names were somewhere on the growing list of offenders destined for the edge of the sword. (Acts 12:1-4)

It made them jumpy. Edgy. Anxious. Trepidation had them constantly checking over their shoulders. Peeking around corners. Taking the circuitous route to avoid being followed. So when the knock sounded on the door of their meeting place, fear-filled gazes met across the room. Lips previously engaged in earnest prayer fell silent. Stomachs clenched. Hands turned to ice. Hard lumps formed in throats. They weren’t expecting anyone else. No one knew they’d gathered. At least they didn’t think so.

Shaking in her sandals, the servant girl, Rhoda, bravely tiptoed her way to the front of the house. No one polite would call around after dark except in case of an emergency. The knock could mean nothing good. Resting her hand on the cool wood of the door and drawing in a fortifying breath, she calmly requested the caller’s identity. Who were they? What did they want? Caught up in the terrified imaginations of her own mind, she completely forgot to open the door when the responding voice shot joy through her veins. Peter was back!     

Whirling around, her face split in a radiant smile, Rhoda raced into the prayer gathering, interrupting their intercession with news she was certain would turn their mourning into exaltation. Screeching to a halt in the doorway, she gushed the news that Peter was there. Peter was safe! Peter was free! Their prayers had been answered! It must have felt like the wind was completely stolen from her sails when the prayer warriors stared back in skepticism. They didn’t believe her. Not one of them. No one believed God had done the miraculous. In spite of their prayers. No matter their begging. Regardless how worn their knees had become. Not one person in that prayer meeting, who had spent the last several days or hours bent before God, asking Him to work, believed He had done so. Begging the question, why were they even praying in the first place? (Acts 12:12-17)

If they didn’t believe God would answer, if they didn’t think He would bless them with a miracle, if they were teetering on the brink of unbelief, why had they invested so much time and energy in prayer, asking God to do something they didn’t actually expect Him to do?  In such dire circumstances, why had they engaged in “wait and see” praying? When their faith so clearly needed the boost, why did they refuse to believe Rhoda, the servant girl, was right? Why did Peter have to keep knocking? Why did he have to stand outside for so long? Why did they have to go and see him for themselves before believing? If they weren’t expecting an answer, why were they even praying in the first place? 

Perhaps it wasn’t that they were expecting no answer, but that they believed the answer must fall within the parameters they themselves had erected. Perhaps they prayed for Herod’s demise and an end to all persecution. Maybe they requested the enhancement of Peter’s fortitude as he remained imprisoned. Perhaps they begged for a quick and painless transition from earth to glory for their beloved apostle and friend. Maybe they simply asked for God’s will to be done, for guidance and direction through the social and religious minefield of their day, and for protection in such treacherous times. Maybe their tired faith couldn’t conceive a miraculous midnight rescue. But they got it, because when God’s people earnestly pray, God answers. Exceedingly. Abundantly. Miraculously. The proof was at the door. (Ephesians 3:20)

Earlier that night, as Peter lay heavily chained and closely guarded, the angel of God came on a rescue mission. Striding past the sentries at the prison doors, he walked down the hall to Peter’s cell, entering without a key. No one moved. Not the soldiers left to guard duty. Not another inmate. Not Peter. Even as light flooded the room, they slept on. Impatiently poking Peter in the side, the angel urged him to action. “Get up. Get moving. Get dressed. Get out of here.” 

In a near comatose state, Peter did as he was told. Struggling to his feet, he stared at his hands in amazement as the heavy chains fell away. Snatching up his clothes, shoes, and cloak, he fell in step behind the angel. Confidently they walked. Past the first guard. Past the second guard. Straight up to the iron gate that led to the city. It would be locked. It always was. Except it wasn’t. Without a squeak or groan it opened on their approach. All alone. No one was there. No one opened it. No one had accidentally left it unlocked. The wind wasn’t blowing. Just as He had for every step of Peter’s miraculous prison break, God had opened the gate to the city, completing his escape. 

Knowing he’d need to leave the city entirely, Peter made one stop before leaving town. A stop even more necessary than him preaching at his next destination. Mary’s house. People needed to see the answer to their prayers. They needed to know that even when their faith wavered and their hope sagged, God was still hearing and answering their prayers in ways they could barely believe. Peter needed to make that final stop on his way out of town to live out one final message to the believers there. Don’t stop praying. Ever. No matter what. God is listening. God is working. Even if the outcome doesn’t look the way you thought it should or hoped it would. Keep praying. God will answer at just the right time, in just the right way. Steady faith or faltering hope. Don’t give up. Just keep praying. (Acts 12:6-12, 17; Colossians 4:2; Psalm 66:19; Romans 12:12)

There’s never been a more timely message. As the cold shoulder of society turns more and more against those of true faith and following Christ, our earnest prayers shoot heavenward with greater urgency than ever before. For ourselves. For our children. For our nation. For our world. Those prayers are often teeming with desperate ideas and meticulous plans of what and where and how God needs to act. Sometimes we get so focused on begging God to adhere to our prescribed course of action, we miss the miraculous work He does instead. We don’t see His plan in the delayed paperwork. We can’t trace His hand in the unfortunate accident. We find ourselves literally scared to trust His heart in the situations closest to ours because we can’t imagine they are as important to Him as they are to us. Yet they are. God cares about every nuance of your life. Every circumstance. Every situation. Every. Single. Thing. And He is working. Constantly. Tirelessly. Endlessly. Even when you can’t see it. Even when your heart fails to believe it. Even when your head says you should just give up. Don’t stop praying. Don’t give up. Steady faith or faltering hope. God will answer. Just keep praying. (Luke 18:1-8; James 5:16; Jeremiah 2:12; Psalm 91:15; I John 5:14; Philippians 4:6; I Thessalonians 5:17; Psalm 37:7; Lamentations 3:5; Micah 7:7; Romans 8:25)