“When he realized this, he went to the home of Mary, the mother of John Mark, where many were gathered for prayer.”
Acts 12:12 (NLT)
When Peter finally realizes he’s free, he doesn’t just celebrate alone—he goes looking for believers to share the praise report. God broke chains, opened gates wide, and Peter knows, “God really just did that.” He saved Peter from Herod, from what the Jewish leaders wanted to do to him. The enemy wanted Peter dead.
That’s still a reminder for me: when God moves in my life, I’m not supposed to keep it private. Sharing what God has done is part of the edification process. When I see what God has done in you, it prepares me to have faith for what God wants to do through me. And when our faith comes together it creates multiplication, not addition.
Peter goes straight to Mary’s house—the mother of John Mark—where many are gathered for prayer. Put yourself in Peter’s shoes: you’re free, you’re excited, and then you discover, “Oh—you guys were praying for me.” It creates unbelievable gratitude because those prayers are like wind in the sails of our boat; God catches them and uses them to propel us forward.
So today I’m learning from Peter’s praise report: not only to pray for others, but when God answers, to go back and tell the people who were interceding—to encourage one another’s faith. Say thank you. When you figure out who was backing you up—sacrificing their time, energy, and focus to talk to God for you—it changes you. Peter was a rock in the church, but every rock needs other rocks. That is how God builds a foundation of love, support, prayer, and strength through relationships in the church. And when our faith is in unison, we’re all focused on the same thing: bringing the Kingdom of Heaven down on earth.