Hope and Joy in Prayer
Feb 9, 2010
We pray because we have joy. A joy that overflows from our love for God. Certainly there are times we pray when our joy-level is low, but a joy filled prayer creates in us a faith-increasing experience. We also pray because we have hope. This is an expectation in something greater than this world has to offer. This expectation is that "all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose" (Romans 8.28).
This semester, the student ministry is taking a journey through the Book of Acts. We are looking at four spiritual essentials that come forth from the early church: prayer, community, God's word, and missional living. We have spent the past four weeks on prayer, going through what prayer looks like and taking some serious time to be in prayer for each other's needs. It's been a great journey so far.
This week we look at prayer in Acts 12. We see Peter imprisoned by King Herod Agrippa I. At this point, he has already put James, one of the twelve disciples, brother of John to death. When he saw that the Jews were pleased, he arrested Peter with the hopes of putting him to death after Passover; a scene that would somewhat mirror the death of Christ just a decade or so earlier. Herod, being a strict observer of Jewish law (more for show than anything else) sought to advance himself any way he could. At this point, in the midst of persecution and turmoil, the church began praying. Scripture says, "earnest prayer for him (Peter) was made to God by the church" (v. 5). The Greek word here for "earnest," ektenoœs, refers to a continuous and constant action. Out of hope, they continuously pleaded their case to God, entreating Him to release Peter. We see here that God responded in a big way.
God sent an angel to free Peter. What a sight this was! So unreal was it to Peter that he thought it a vision. No guards disturbed, no commotion, just an easy escape led by the messenger of God. God does answer prayer in big ways. Certainly He works in miraculous ways too! Are you praying expecting God to work in such a way? Does your hope mirror the hope of this early body of believers? In the midst of trials, sometimes the only hope we have is to pray. I would say this should always be our first thought regardless of the situation. And oh how God uses and responds to such prayer. God uses the prayer of His children in order to inact His divine will. So what else happens in this story?
As Peter comes to, he does a sort of double take. "Wait a second! That WAS real!" He hurries to the house where the believers are gathered praying. This is Mark's mother's house, the same Mark who wrote the Gospel of Mark. Neat. Anyways, he knocks, hoping someone will quickly let him in. So surprised is the person who answers that she doesn't even let him in! Rhoda is so excited she just leaves him outside. Weird. Have you ever been so excited about something that you just had to immediately tell someone without thinking about it? Rhoda is that person. While Peter says, "Dude, what's up? Let me in," Rhoda runs around looking to tell someone that Peter is here! The others told her, "Girl, you are out of your mind!" They literally call her insane! She is so joyful that the others call her a mad woman!
Now I don't know what she looked like when she got excited or if in fact she acted like a crazy, but the word here implies that she was furiously insane so I like to imagine that her joy of seeing Peter, and seeing her prayers answered, was so great that the others were taken aback. Does this kind of joy describe you? I know my joy is often contained and regulated, rather than infectious and insane. What a picture! We should have insane joy, especially when we see that God has proven Himself faithful. How is your joy-meter? Are you overjoyed like Rhoda, or contained like the rest of the household? I look forward to when people think I'm so joyful that they consider me insane!
So what? Why be hopeful and joyful in prayer? Because God DOES come through. He is faithful to those whom He calls His children. Our joy is to be fulfilled in God alone. Rather than finding our pleasure in the temporary, divert your pleasures to Him and nothing else. Like Jerry said this past Sunday, God is not a divine killjoy, rather, He is the source of true joy and fulfillment. Do you believe this? Do you believe that all your pleasures are most satisfied in Him? I pray you will. God is faithful to His children and their prayers. This should move us to pray hard and pray often. Join me in praying for each other, the Church worldwide, our leaders, pastors, families, communities, country and nations. God will honor the prayers of His people and work all things together for good.
Comments
Gregory Whitlock on Feb 10, 2010 10:29am
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