The first third of Acts seems to revolve around the exploits of Peter, the leading disciple. In the power of the Holy Spirit, it is Peter's bold proclamation that brings thousands to repentance on Pentecost and leads the church to recognize God's mission to the Gentiles.

Acts 12 tells the story of the second time Peter was arrested and jailed (4:3). This time it seemed to be much more serious. James had been killed; Peter was awaiting trial and likely the same fate. But Luke reminds us that the church was praying, and their prayers had already shaken the building where they met to the foundations (4:31).

What happened next is almost eerie. Peter seemed to be in a kind of heavy sleep. An angel appeared, none too gentle. He "struck" Peter in the side to waken him and told him to "get up and get dressed!" while the chains fell from his wrists. The angel then led Peter past the sleeping guards, right out of the prison. Peter "had no idea that what the angel was doing was really happening." In other words, he was half asleep.

It wasn't until he stood on the dark and deserted street outside the prison, all alone, that he "came to himself." Now I know," he thought, "that an angel was sent to rescue me from certain death in Herod's clutches."

Fully awake, elated, he made his way to the house where he knew his fellow believers were gathered. Here Luke gives us a bit of interesting information---it was the house of Mary (another Mary!), the mother of John Mark, whom we meet again in Acts, and who some think was the author of the gospel of Mark.

First we have Peter's stupor, and then we have the comedy of Christians not believing the answer to their own prayers. A servant girl answered the door at Peter's persistent knock (he certainly didn't want to remain on the open streets very long after his escape). She recognized Peter voice, and in her excitement left him standing on the doorstep as she ran to tell the assembled prayer group that Peter himself was at the door.

"You're out of your mind," they responded angrily, "he's in jail." Then, thinking again, they wondered if it might be his angel. It's not clear if this meant they thought he was already dead, or if they believed that personal angels could represent people. Meanwhile, Peter kept pounding until they finally opened the door and let him in.

A funny as well as exciting story. These early Christians, amid all the miracles they had experienced in those days, didn't really believe in the miraculous answer to their own prayers. The story tells us of the power of prayer but also that the outcome to our prayers does not depend on our ability to believe. By itself prayer has no power, nor do we. But through prayer we "tap into" God's power, persuading him of what we want. God wants us to ask for what we need in prayer, and to trust that he will provide what we need for our good.

Sometimes---more often than we think---God answers our prayers in ways that surprise us, even though we've been praying for it fervently.