So, when he had considered this, he came to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose surname was Mark, where many were gathered together praying. And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a girl named Rhoda came to answer. When she recognized Peter's voice, because of her gladness she did not open the gate, but ran in and announced that Peter stood before the gate. But they said to her, "You are beside yourself!" Yet she kept insisting that it was so. So they said, "It is his angel." Now Peter continued knocking; and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished. Acts 12:12-16

This story contains a humorous element. While the church was praying, God miraculously delivered Peter from prison back to the fellowship of the saints. Apparently, they had no real expectation that he would be delivered in the manner in which he was. As a result, Rhoda left Peter standing outside, and the rest of the assembled praying believers thought she was out of her mind for thinking Peter was at the door.

Though pointed out humorously, it reminds us of the fact that we sometimes pray with no expectation that God will answer—or that we cannot imagine how He could. Yet God often answers our prayers! In the case of Peter’s release from prison, they saw him and were amazed. But what about all the answers to prayer that come our way without the kind of irrefutable proof they saw at the doorway?

I wonder: (1) How many answers do I not see because I have not prayed? And how many answers do I not see because God answered in ways I did not expect or even imagine?