Living by Faith

DEVOTION

THE BOOK OF ACTS

LIVING BY FAITH

Acts 9:36-43

36 In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which, when translated, is Dorcas), who was always doing good and helping the poor. 37 About that time she became sick and died, and her body was washed and placed in an upstairs room. 38 Lydda was near Joppa; so when the disciples heard that Peter was in Lydda, they sent two men to him and urged him, "Please come at once!" 39 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. 40 Peter sent them all out of the room; then he got down on his knees and prayed. Turning toward the dead woman, he said, "Tabitha, get up." She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter she sat up. 41 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. 42 This became known all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord. 43 Peter stayed in Joppa for some time with a tanner named Simon.

NIV

A story about Dorcus which has to be examine as a whole. Yet this is a story about Peter as well and about the power of God at work. First we are introduced to a female disciple who was always doing good and helping the poor. This is not the first female disciple as we have already known Mary, Martha, Mary Magdalene as well as others, but here we get to meet Dorcas and we are told that she is always about helping the poor, making them robes and other clothing. There are several ministries today that have adopted the name Dorcas house to imply they are helpers of the poor, women and children or seniors. She is an example of Christian love in action toward those who need help. We could learn a lesson here, not that we should start another Dorcas house in our homes, but that we could be helping someone who is in need. Although once again we also should consider that we all are not called to do all things, as each of us are a part of one body. Just as the Apostles could not administer the daily food to the windows and had seven men appointed to that task and as Dorcas was making robes and clothes, we may have some other service to the Lord to do. But the point is that she was always about what she was called to do, and we should always be about what we are called to do. The second lesson we can learn is once again from Peter. Now surely we are not going to be raising anyone from the dead, or at least it would be highly unlikely. Of course maybe we should be, if that is what God desires, or at least we should be ready to do such a thing, if we are instructed to do so. We see that Peter did not act on this alone, as first he got down on his knees and prayed. We are not told what his prayer consisted of, but the fact is he first talked it over with God as to what he was going to do. It is rather obvious the town people were expecting Peter to do something supernatural, as when Dorcas died they sent for Peter. Certainly they were not expecting him to give her the last rites, or do the funeral service, so they must have felt he could perform some miracle, like bring her back to life, which is exactly what he was instructed by God to do. This is faith that moves mountains, that walks on water, that heals the lame, gives sight to the blind and brings the dead back to life. Faith which is recorded for us to read about. What is the purpose of showing us this kind of faith, unless to teach us that God gives to every man a measure of faith and that we should learn to believe God for more than what we do? Yes we should be serving him, as Dorcas and Peter did, but we should also be believing in him more as Peter did. All of the scripture is so we can know God better, understand his ways better and live according to his ways. Many try to simply live by his law, his rules and regulations, his commands, his instructions for holy living, the next right thing to do, but how many of us try to live with the faith that Peter had? Would it not be better to live by faith than by the law?