25th January 2022
Surprised by answers?
“…All things are possible for one who believes.” Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!”
Mark 9:23-24 (ESVUK)
As the church grew after Jesus’ ascension, Herod decided to unleash an attack on it. He executed James, and seeing that met with approval and improved his rating with the population, he arrested Peter. He planned to put him on trial and till then he had him guarded day and night, chained to two guards either side of him, and with two more guarding the door. But an angel woke Peter up the night before he was due in court, removed his chains, and got a bemused Peter dressed and outside the prison.
When he came to himself and realised that it wasn’t a vision and that he actually was free, Peter made his way to one of the houses where the church was gathered together, fervently praying for him. A servant girl called Rhoda answered his knock at the gate and, so joyful at hearing his voice, left him standing there without opening up the gate and tore back into the house to tell everyone Peter had come. They said she was out of her mind. She insisted it was true. They said she’d seen his angel. Outside, Peter was continuing to bang at the gate, and eventually was let in.
They were busy beseeching God to save Peter, but didn’t believe it when the object of their supplications was outside hammering on their gate. The fledgling church had seen many miracles performed, had seen the apostles miraculously released from prison when the high priest and Sanhedrin had arrested them, and may have initially thought they would be protected by God. But that had changed. Stephen had been stoned to death, many of the members had fled from persecution and now Herod had killed James. So, in the back of their minds was there a certain amount of ‘we’ll pray with all our hearts but we don’t actually expect a positive answer’? Had that then led to the inability to take in the fact that God had acted and rescued Peter?
Maybe we too need to look and see whether we have that split attitude in our requests to God. Can we learn from the man who had seen the disciples fail to remove a demon from his son, and looked to Jesus to do what they failed to do, crying out to Jesus, ‘I do believe, help my unbelief’.
It seems like a good place to start – being honest with God, and asking for help.
Prayer
Our Father, so often we come to you with muddled thoughts when we pray: with faith, with hope, and with doubts and questions. Mercifully grant us the help of the Spirit to just simply believe and rejoice when we see you answer us. Amen.
Study by Hilary Buck
About the writer:
Hilary Buck is a Minister and pastors the Lewes congregation of Grace Communion International.
Local congregation:
Grace Communion in Lewes
The House of Friendship
208 High Street
Lewes
BN7 2NS
Meeting time:
Sunday 11:00am
Local congregational contact:
Hilary Buck
Email: lewes@gracecom.church
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Word of Life contact:
wordoflife@gracecom.church