Previous Challenge Entry (Level 4 – Masters)
Topic: IRONY (10/26/23)
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TITLE: Open? Or Closed? | Previous Challenge Entry
By Laurie Kiel
11/02/23 -
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Have you ever been so surprised by a blessing from God that you start celebrating but never let that blessing into the door so that you can fully experience it? I have.
Let me introduce myself. My name is Rhoda. And for those of you that call yourselves “baby boomers” (SAYS PHRASE SLOWLY AS IF FOREIGN) whatever that is, I’m not Mary Tyler Moore’s best friend. Let me show you what I'm talking about
We had just found out James was dead, executed by Herod. We were all in hiding, my job was to watch the door. As the others prayed, I kept repeating over and over, James is dead! I couldn’t believe he was dead!
We wouldn’t ever see him again until heaven and now Peter had been arrested. (REPEATS SLOWLY WITH EMPHASIS) Our Peter arrested. They were going to execute him the next day.
I was cold to my soul. I didn’t know what to think but I knew that we were doing the right thing — the only thing we could do—pray. I wondered if I should stop watching the door and go pray with the others.
Suddenly, I heard knocking at the door and a voice. I knew that voice. It was Peter! I was so excited that I ran to tell the others leaving Peter still outside the door knocking.
How ironic. There we were praying for Peter’s release and now he was standing right outside the door and I didn't even let him in.
You should have seen me. I ran into the room where they are all on their knees, eyes closed, loudly praying for Peter’s release.
“Listen everybody!” I say, but they are praying so loudly they don’t even hear me.
“Listen everybody!” I call even more loudly. Still no response. Finally, at the top of my lungs I shout, “Listen to me! I have news!” Still nothing.
So I walked over to John who was on his knees and pushed him hard on his right shoulder, knocking him over.
He opened his eyes and scrambled to his feet. “Rhoda! Why aren’t you at the door! Why did you just knock me over? Did you just interrupt my prayers on purpose?” His expression was a mixture of irritation and fear.
“Actually, John, GOD has interrupted your prayers—with an answer. Peter is outside the door. God has rescued him!”
There was a chorus of disbelieving voices.
Some accusing me of having a wild imagination.
Some saying that it must be Peter’s ghost.
Finally, Matthew, ever the practical one, asked me, “If Peter is at the door, why didn’t you let him in?”
Let him in! My error finally slapped me in the face. I had never let Peter in the door!
I ran and opened the door, and there was Peter, his hand raised to try knocking again. John pulled him into the room, closing the door and everybody gathered around, hugging Peter not just because they were glad to see him, but because it was a good way to see that it really was our Peter, and not a ghost.
God had answered our prayers. His answer to our prayers that I never let in the door, and that the others wouldn’t let into their minds.
How about you? What are you praying for? Is the answer right outside and you're not letting it in? Is the door of your mind firmly closed against the answer to your prayer because it’s just too miraculous, just too impossible?
Open your eyes, open your hearts, open your minds. Your answer to your prayers may be closer than you realize.
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