Investigating the Bible: Prayer suprises

By DAVID CARLSON PASTOR

In Fred Lockley’s, “Conversations With Pioneer Men,” he interviewed Robert Booth. When Booth was a young boy, one time his mother and father were completely out of food and money. His father said God would provide. That afternoon, three strangers rode up and told his mother they had wheat. If she would bake loaves of bread for them, they would pay her 50 cents (equivalent to about $20 today) and give her half of what she baked. His father wasn’t surprised. In New Testament days, the first church prayed and were surprised when God answered.

As the church grew, so did opposition from Jewish and Roman authorities. “About that time Herod the king laid violent hands on some who belonged to the church. He killed James the brother of John with the sword, and when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also.” (Acts 12:1-3, English Standard Version used throughout). Fearing the worst, the church prayed earnestly for Peter’s safety.

The night before Peter was to be brought out of prison, likely for public execution, “…Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains and sentries before the door were guarding the prison. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood next to him, and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him, saying, ‘Get up quickly.’ And the chains fell off his hands.” (Acts 12:6-7). The angel instructed Peter to get dressed and follow him. They walked past two guards and the iron prison door opened as they came to it. Peter thought this was a vision, but when he was left standing alone in the street, he knew God had rescued him. He hurried to the house where many were gathered together and praying. “And when he knocked at the door of the gateway, a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer. Recognizing Peter’s voice, in her joy she did not open the gate but ran in and reported that Peter was standing at the gate. They said to her, ‘You’re out of your mind.’ But she kept insisting that it was so, and they kept saying, ‘It is his angel!’ But Peter continued knocking, and when they opened, they saw him and were amazed.” (Acts 12:13-17). The next day, when Herod discovered his prisoner had somehow escaped, he commanded that the sentries be executed and Peter was able to secretly leave Jerusalem to the coastal town of Caesarea.

God still surprises with answers to prayers. Ramek Hunt, who is Black, was born into poverty and some violent, drug-infested neighborhoods in New Jersey. As a teenager, he and two of his neighborhood friends saw the deaths of too many, so they made a decision to all become doctors. Their story is in the book, “The Pact.” Ramek was in his second year of medical school when all his hard work and hopes seemed to vanish. Driving home late at night with his friend, they had been racially profiled and pulled over for no cause. A forgotten fishing knife in Ramek’s glove box led to his arrest and a felony charge. He prayed that God would somehow intervene. The officer refused to drop the charges. Then his attorney no-showed twice at scheduled hearings. Ramek and a new attorney showed up at the next hearing. Oddly, the prosecutor approached the bench, requesting a brief recess. When court resumed, the prosecutor said, “Well, we can’t seem to find the evidence.” They lost Ramek’s knife! The frustrated judge threw the case out. Ramek said, “My mouth dropped open. God had rescued me once again. And I was free to go.” All three men eventually graduated with medical degrees and are doctors serving in their home communities. They have formed a nonprofit group called “The Three Doctors,” dedicated to helping young men and women in the inner city achieve their full potential.

David Carlson Pastor (yes, that is his last name, not his profession) lives in Oregon and is a graduate of Bethel Theological Seminary in Minnesota (M.Div., M.Th.).