Rhoda

Herod was on a killing spree. He killed James and imprisoned Peter. The other disciples gathered at the home of John Mark’s mother Mary to pray for Peter’s safety. While they were praying, Rhoda, Mary’s servant girl, heard knocking on the door, and went to answer the door.

It was a dangerous decision. They were risking their lives gathering together to pray. What if it were soldiers come to arrest them just as they’d arrested Peter? But Rhoda answered the door nonetheless.

Imagine her surprise when she heard Peter’s whispered voice asking her to let him in. However, in her relief and excitement, rather than opening the door and letting him in, she instead ran to the others to share the good news, leaving Peter standing outside the gate.

She ran inside babbling over and over that Peter was at the gate.

But these same believers who were praying for Peter’s release, didn’t believe that it could actually happen. They insisted she’d seen an angel and not Peter himself.

In the meantime, Peter continued knocking until someone else finally opened the door and saw for themselves that it was him.

Peter motioned for everyone to keep silent until he was inside. Then he shared how the Lord had delivered him. He told them to go share with the other brethren. Then he went on his way to another place.

The next morning chaos ensued at the prison when no one could figure out what happened to Peter. Herod sent out search parties, and when he couldn’t be found, Herod ordered all the guards to be killed. Then Herod went down from Judea to Caesarea and stayed there.

Read about Rhoda: Acts 12

Listen on Your Favorite Podcast Platform