Acts 9:36-41 says, “in Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which, when translated, is Dorcas), who was always doing good and helping the poor. About that same time she became sick and died, and her body was washed and placed in an upstairs room. Lydda was near Joppa. When the disciples heard that Peter was in Lydda, they sent two men to him and urged him, “please come at once!”
Peter went with them, and when he arrived he was taken upstairs to the room. All the widows stood around him, crying and showing him the robes and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was still with them.
Peter sent them all out of the room. Then, he got down on his knees and prayed. Turning towards the dead woman, he said, “Tabitha, get up.” She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter sat up. He took her by the hand and helped her to her feet. Then he called the believers and the widows and presented her to them alive.
After reading the story of Tabitha, aka Dorca, I noticed a couple of interesting facts. The first incident I noticed was as soon as Dorcas had died the disciples sent two men for Peter. Why would they send for Peter after Dorcas was pronounced dead? Because, they remembered what happen in Acts 5 when the people who passed within Peter’s shadow were healed, not by the shadow, but by God’s power illuminating within Peter. A lot of unspoken words were spoken in the request for Peter that day. The faith of the disciples was grand. The disciples were expecting a miracle, they were expecting a resurrection. How different would your life be, if you could believed just because it has never happened before, doesn’t mean it can’t happen? The disciples believed for something uncommon, for something unlikely, and for something out of the ordinary. Even how the body was prepared, Dorcas’s body was an act of faith, after she was pronounced dead. She was washed, but not anointed with oil. She was placed in an upstairs room in anticipation, of something miraculous happening amongst them. They believed for a new kind of miracle. Why do we fix state on the crucifixion, and not on the resurrection?
My family and I were in Joplin all day on Sunday the attitude was amazing they were not fixated on the damage but on the resurrection, the new possibilities, the promise of life, the promise of new beginnings. My husband met a man who was in his house trying to get to the basement when the Tornado hit. John Allen, about 75 years of age, was rushing down the stairs when the debris landed on him when he tried to keep moving he noticed his foot was trapped. As he sat there bordered by the violent wind everything around him was collapsing. After what seemed an eternity, saidJohn, it all stopped. He glanced down to see what had trapped his foot, to his surprise after digging around the debris he pulled out a gallon water bottle, it was the plastic water bottle that held John’s foot captive that day. Wow! Talk about God using the uncommon, out of the ordinary, and the most unlikely thing to save a man’s life. I don’t know if a gallon water jug has ever saved a man’s life before but what I do know is we can never limit God because of our lack of anticipation. There was silence in Joplin that cannot be explain, but in the silence there was an act of hope in the restoring of the city, the promise of new beginnings, brighter days ahead, and an anticipation for God’s provision.
The second incident I noticed in the Tabitha story was, all of the widows who were standing around crying and giving Peter a fashion show of all the robes and clothing that Dorcas had made. It seemed to me they were morning her sewing ability rather than her life. The disciples believed for a miracle while the widows were preparing for a funeral. Watch what happened after Peter arrives. The first thing he does is clear the room of all the Nay Sayers, and of all the doubters. It was as if Peter was saying, “Okay everyone who cannot stand in faith, get out if you can’t catch the vision leave.” Then Peter got on his knees and prayed, turning towards the dead women, he said, “Dorcas get up.” She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter, she sat up. We to as believer need to turn towards that dead situation and speak life changing words into the atmosphere.
How many times have you shared a dream, a vision, or a desire with someone and like a tornado their words formed the winds that destroyed every positive thought you had with their doubt and unbelief? Peter demanded for the miracle to come forth, to rise up, and to take notice. Peter gave the miracle feet. Some of us need to give our dreams, visions, and desires feet again. You have let the Nay Sayers crucify your dreams while leaving them nailed to a cross with a crown of fear. Clear the room; get on your knees, and turn your attention towards your miracle.
Choices are for the living.
Casting my net for Jesus… Michele Davenport
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