Daily devotion – the answer is coming, hold on!
Ever wondered why God often leaves answering our prayers to the very last minute?
You remember in the book of Acts 12 when Herod had Peter arrested. Peter is in prison with 16 soldiers looking after him to prevent his escaping and two are chained to him, yet Peter is able to sleep!
The Church has gathered to pray for Peter’s safety and in verse 6 of that chapter it says – Act 12:6 And when Herod was about to bring him out, that night Peter was sleeping, bound with two chains between two soldiers; and the guards before the door were keeping the prison.
God could have delivered Peter on any one of the days of unleavened bread, but He deliberately leaves Peter in prison until the end of the days of unleavened bread. He leaves it until just an hour or so before Herod had intended to send his servants to fetch Peter out.
Why does God do that? There are two reasons.
1. God leaves it until the last moment in order to make the discomfiture of the defeat of the enemy still more obvious and complete.
In other words, God likes to bring the greatest impact of defeat to those who oppose Him!
Picture Herod all puffed up and bragging about how he is going to take another apostles life but just at that defining moment God delivers Peter and Herod is made the laughingstock before the people.
2. The second reason why God leaves it until the last moment is this. He tests our faith! God proves us. He leaves us in the place of tension to discover whether we are really trusting Him. He does not deliver us at once.
God does not answer the prayers of the Church at once. He leaves it until the last moment in order that our faith may be tried. The wind is allowed to blow in order that the mighty oak tree may become mighty and strong, and God tests us in order that we may be made strong.
Hold on and you will never be disappointed!