Seeds of Promise Series by Shenica Graham

Women of The Bible

Rhoda: A Childlike Faith

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Devotional Reading: Acts 12:12-17

The Word says, except you humble yourself as a little child, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 18:3-4).

Rhoda is only mentioned in Acts 12. She was a servant who was given a greek name (Rhoda), which means rose. Rhoda was amongst the Christian assembly at a prayer meeting when Paul had been imprisoned. The people were praying steadfastly. Unbeknownst to them, whilst they were praying, Paul was supernaturally led out of prison by an angel.

Paul came to the door of Mary the mother of Mark’s home, where the prayer meeting was going strong. He knocked at the door. Rhoda, a servant in Mary’s house, went to the door an inquired, who was knocking.

Rhoda had no doubt listened to the preaching of Paul on many other occasions. She understood the connection between prayer, faith, and recieving (Matthew 21:22). The Word says that she recognized Paul’s voice as that of the person knocking at the door. Rhoda was instantly overjoyed. She believed in that moment that the prayers of the people were answered; that Paul was indeed released from prison and standing at the house gate.

However joyful Rhoda was, she forgot to open the gate and let Peter in. “…but ran in and told the people that Peter was standing before the porch gate” Acts 12:14.

Rhoda had believed, without visual confirmation. The people in the assembly however, called her a mad woman. Surely they must have thought, “This poor child, she wants so much for our teacher to be delivered, she is hallucinating.” When Rhoda insisted that Peter was indeed at the gate (who was left still knocking), they said it was his spirit – knowing how King Herod had commanded the death of John; and likely thinking that Paul too might have already been dead. Rhoda would not let their disbelief darken her faith. She would not be moved.

Finally, they opened the gate and saw Peter for themselves; and the Word says that they were amazed (Acts 1216). Beside the fact that Peter was indeed delivered, Rhoda must have been the talk of the meeting that night. She showed that her faith was more pure than the others who prayed. She had not prayed amiss, but she had prayed believing that her prayer would be answered. She was like that Proverbs 31 woman in verse 29: many daughters of Zion had done virtuously that day – going to the throne of grace in prayer, but Rhoda excelled them all because she believed!