But Peter continued knocking, and when they had opened the door, they saw him and were amazed. (Acts 12:16, NASB)
“Oh wow! In your life, have you seen anything like that?” This was Verne Lundquist’s famous call on Hole 16 at The Masters in 2005 when Tiger Woods pulled off that miraculous hole out in the final round from behind the green using the slope to feed the ball down to the hole.
We all remember this shot, among a handful of others from one of golf’s greatest, because it was amazing. Tiger could pull off the seemingly impossible at times.
Despite appearing superhuman at times, Woods had limitations because he was subject to the laws of physics, just like the rest of us.
We all understand that God created the universe and gave it order under what scientists eventually described as laws of nature. However, as followers of Jesus, we believe that God occasionally chooses to violate the laws he created – we call them miracles.
We believe God performed many miracles throughout scripture; however, they are not now and have never been the norm. Even our faith heroes did not expect them, even if they prayed for them.
Let’s look at a story of those who not only walked with Jesus and observed his many miracles but were the influencers of the Jesus movement in the First Century:
The members of the Church were being targeted and persecuted. James, one of the Apostles, had been martyred, and now Peter was also captured. “So Peter was kept in the prison, but prayer for him was being made to God intensely by the church.
On the very night when Herod was about to bring him forward, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains. And behold, an angel of the Lord suddenly stood near Peter, and a light shone in the cell; and he struck Peter’s side and woke him, saying, “Get up quickly.” And his chains fell off his hands” (Acts 12:5-7).
Many were praying for him, but they were not expecting a miracle. They were expecting the same result that Stephen (known as the first Christian martyr) and James had suffered. Then, Peter was miraculously set free by an angel of the Lord. “And when he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John, who was also called Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying.
When he knocked at the door of the gate, a slave woman named Rhoda came to answer. When she recognized Peter’s voice, because of her joy, she did not open the gate but ran in and announced that Peter was standing in front of the gate.
They said to her, “You are out of your mind!” But she kept insisting that it was so. They said, “It is his angel.” But Peter continued knocking; and when they had opened the door, they saw him and were amazed” (Acts 12:12-16).
Miracles were not an everyday occurrence for Jesus’s disciples, but if you are waiting for a miracle (like I am), you are not the exception to the rule.
Miracles are the exception to the rule and are at God’s discretion to accomplish his purpose, but know that your prayers matter and that he has your best interest in mind even when he does not choose to violate his laws on your behalf.
He will remain present in your life and situation even if he does not perform the miracle you are hoping for. Be reminded that he already performed a miracle on your behalf to be victorious at the end.
Prayer: Father, if you choose not to perform another miracle in my life, help me remain faithful regardless of my situation.