Previous Challenge Entry (Level 3 - Advanced)
Topic: LOCKED (10/27/22)
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TITLE: Rhoda | Previous Challenge Entry
By Marilyn Meiners
10/30/22 -
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As I turned to walk away I felt a hand on my shoulder. Suddenly there were two soldiers grabbing me.
“Get your hands off me!” I hissed. “Where are you taking me?”
“To prison,” they sneered.
By-the-way, my name is Peter.
I too am a believer. Because it was during the days of Unleavened Bread they would not kill me today, rather they would wait till the Passover was over. I had time to ponder my situation.
I knew the church was meeting in secret, but how could I get a message to them. They are just as vulnerable as me if they are found. “Please God, let them be praying for my release. You still perform miracles,” I whispered.
The soldiers threw me into my new home, a dark prison cell where I was bound with two chains. Sentries stood before the door guarding those who came and went, and they forced me to sleep between two soldiers. Where did they think I would go anyway? I couldn’t even eat without someone watching my every move.
“God, this is not good,” I prayed. “By morning I’ll be dead, unless…..”
During the night, as I lay sleeping, an angel stood next to me and a light shown in the cell. The angel touched me and said, “Get up quickly.”
Am I dreaming! I rubbed my eyes several times to make sure I was seeing things clearly. Sure enough. An angel stood before me.
I got up, got dressed and followed him right out that prison as all the guards, soldiers and prisoners slept soundly.
Talk about being ‘quiet as a mouse’. That was us as we went through first one gate and then another. As we approached each gate, they opened on their own.
"This is great", I thought. " I’m getting out of here". Soon I was standing on the outside looking in. When I turned around to thank the angel, he was gone.
“Hey, wait a minute!” I said. “This must be a dream? This can’t really be happening.” I pinched myself to see if I was sleeping. Ouch! Definitely not sleeping.
Not knowing what to do I ran to the home of Mary, mother of John, where I knew the church would be praying. Reaching the home safely, I tried the door knob to see if it would open.
It was locked.
I knocked, again and again.
Finally I saw a little girl peek her head over the gate. Her eyes grew wide when she saw me.
“Let me in,” I cried in panic.
She turned and ran upstairs.
“What is she doing?” I thought. “Why won’t she let me in. Come on little girl, please open the gate.”
The little girl, named Rhoda, ran upstairs to alert the others that Peter was standing at the gate.
“He’s here!” She cried. “Peter is outside. We prayed, and Peter is here.”
“What kind of kool-aid have you been drinking?” Mark asked. “You know he is in prison, and now you say he is standing outside. Yeah, right.”
“He is,” scolded Rhoda. “He is right outside and if you don’t believe me, come see for yourself.”
Meanwhile, Peter continued to knock. “Where is everyone? Come unlock this door so I can find safety.”
Finally, the prayer group made their way to the gate, peeked out, and sure enough, there before them stood Peter. They began to yell, but Peter indicated to them to remain silent.
“Shhhhh. We can’t give ourselves away.”
As the church gathered around Peter he told them all that had happened that night. That James was killed. That he was put in prison and guarded heavily. That an angel released him from prison and how he ended up at this house.
Everyone was amazed. That is, all except Rhoda.
“Listen everyone,” commanded Rhoda. “Why are you so surprised to see Peter. We fasted and prayed for his release. Oh ye of little faith. Remember what God said in Ezra 8:23 ‘So we fasted and petitioned our God about this, and he answered our prayer.’ We asked, God answered. Makes no sense to me that you seem so surprised to see Peter.”
Rhoda unlocked the gate and threw herself into Peter’s arms.
“Welcome home Peter.”
Scripture NIV
Story Acts 12:1-17
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