Peter, however, kept on knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astounded. Acts 12:16 HCSB
Wikipedia reports that Gomer Pyle is a television character played by Jim Nabors and introduced in the third season of The Andy Griffith Show. Gomer was a simple-minded and gentle auto mechanic. In 1964, the character was spun off to Gomer Pyle, U.S.MC., where his countrified, backward nature served as the mainstay for the show’s humor, making him a comic foil to the hard-nosed drill instructor Sergeant Carter. Gomer provided comic relief, awestruck by the simplest of things resulting in the exclamation of his catch phrases, “Shazam!” and “Sur-prise, sur-prise, sur-prise!”
The people had been praying for Peter’s release. When he appeared at the door, they could not believe what they were seeing and were astounded. He had to keep on knocking to get them to even open the door. He could have replied, “Sur-prise, Sur-prise, Sur-prise!” God had answered their prayers but they could not believe that God had actually honored their requests. I wonder if they lacked faith in God and this was a way for God to again show His great power and that He was in control of all things.
Challenge: Do you pray and lack the faith that God can actually answer your prayers? Are you surprised when God does answer your prayers? Thank God for the times He has answered your prayers. Watch a short clip on YouTube of Jim Nabors saying “Sur-prise, Sur-prise, Sur-prise” at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TnkJ8_BmSI