Acts 12....Hmmmmmm

It's another 2fer sort of day!! 2 things make me go hmmm in Acts 12.

The first in in verse 5..."So Peter was kept in prison, but the  church was earnestly praying to God for him."

So I decided to look up earnestly in the dictionary.....and I LOVE what I found.....characterized by or from an intense and serious state of mind. UH HUH!!!! That is how I want my friends at church praying for me, a serious state of mind, they mean business. And they don't plan on stopping until they get something done!  Can you imagine what it would be like if we prayed for people earnestly?? I mean look at this story here in Acts 12. Peter gets thrown in jail, so his church starts to pray, intensely. What happens?? A angel from God goes to him at night, and gets him out of jail.  No violence, no get out of jail free card, no trial....just says stand up and the chains fall off, as they walk up to gates they just come open.  Think those prayers worked???

The second thing that makes me go hmmmm is in the last verse of the chapter, #24, "but the word of God continued to spread and flourish." LOVE LOVE LOVE this. At the end of the chapter, Herod is looking for Peter after he escaped. He asks all the guards, and of course kills them because they have no idea what happened. On an appointed day, Herod decided to give a public speech. After he spoke, someone in the crown shouted those were words of a god not a man.  And because Herod didn't stop and praise the one true God....he was struck right there by an angel of God, eaten by worms, and died.  But the last line is the best...."but the word of God continued to spread and flourish." God's story, the gospel, His love, will continue to cross this earth and be amazing no matter who or what gets in the way.

Time for another visit to the dictionary....flourish?? .... to grow luxuriantly, to achieve success, to be in a state of activity or production, to reach a height of development or influence.  Again uh-huh I say.  I want to see God's word flourish. But I don't want to just sit back and watch. And I definitely don't want to get in the way (or be eaten by worms, gross!!). I want to do my part, I want to help it continue to flourish. I want to be a vessel. I want to be a light in this world full of darkness.

Lord today I pray...get me out of your way, keep me from getting in my own way....help me to do my part in spreading your Word and making it flourish. AMEN!!!