Arise

[logi bear]

This is a devotional written by one of the pastors of my church. (yes i have permission to post this.)

Arise
August 29th, 2011

Dorcas was a woman who ministered in very practical ways. She did things for people—made jackets and coats. She was a woman who cared for people in very tangible and practical ways.

Acts 9:37-39 says, “And it came to pass in those days, that she was sick, and died: whom when they had washed, they laid her in an upper chamber. And forasmuch as Lydda was nigh to Joppa, and the disciples had heard that Peter was there, they sent unto him two men, desiring him that he would not delay to come to them. Then Peter arose and went with them. When he was come, they brought him into the upper chamber: and all the widows stood by him weeping, and showing the coats and garments which Dorcas made, while she was with them. ”

Take note: Peter arose and went. He was available. Peter was a man of motivation and motion. He got the call that someone was sick—that someone died, and so he went! He made himself available to see what God was going to do. Many times, we might reason something like this away and conclude that the woman is already dead. What good is it for me to go to a dead person? Why should I even travel the distance to this woman’s house? Maybe we would be thinking: It’s over; the battle has already been lost. But instead, Peter goes. He goes with an open mind and an open heart, believing that the Lord might still want to do something.

When he gets there, he encounters a room full of weeping, sobbing and emotional women. They are showing each other the coats that Dorcas had made while she was with them. They were commemorating her life. One of the things that stood out to me as I read this text is that I don’t remember reading this kind of commemorating over other’s deaths, like the apostles. This was a practical, every day Christian, being so missed. Every Christian has great importance. So many of us minister in every day, practical ways and we can tend to think that there is not as much value as that of a pastor or elder or deacon. You, who serve in such practical ways, would probably be more missed than the pastor himself! You touch people in a very real, tangible way, like Dorcas. God greatly honors that. Dorcas was a practical minister of Jesus Christ and at her death, she was greatly missed and remembered by many whom she had touched.

So next, we see that Peter clears the room. Acts 9:40 says, “He kneeled down and he prayed.” Peter was a man of prayer. He kneeled and prayed and told her to, “Arise.” God raised her up and she sat up! In verse 41 we see that Peter gave her his hand and he presented her alive to the saints and widows who had been mourning! Verse 42 goes on to say that this was known throughout all of Joppa and many believed in the Lord!

Many believed here, because Peter believed. We can’t tell others to believe what we, ourselves, don’t believe. If it’s not real to you, people won’t buy it! If Jesus Christ is not, in your life, to you, what you declare Him to be to others, then no one will listen to you. If He’s real to you, however, then others will pay attention. They believed in the Lord because Peter believed—he was a man of motion and motivation. His ministry was fruitful because He believed God. Because of Peter’s willingness to go to one dead woman, an entire town heard the Gospel. You never know what God is going to do! You never know whom God is going to raise up. We never know whom we are going to influence—we just need to be obedient to God’s call and go. We must have faith in God that He can do way beyond what we imagine He can do! God is looking for men and women who will believe Him.