The Dorcas Way

Acts 9:³⁹ “So Peter returned with them… they took him to the upstairs room… filled with widows who were weeping and showing him the coats and other clothes Dorcas had made for them. ⁴⁰ …then he knelt and prayed… ⁴¹ …then he …presented her to them alive.”

Are you a contributor or are you a taker? If anything happens to you [God forbid], will the people you do life with miss you? Will anybody cry because of you?

The story of Dorcas in the Bible is a classic example of the benefits of being a giver and that is how God introduces her to us in His Word. Acts 9:³⁶ “There was a believer in Joppa named Tabitha (which in Greek is Dorcas). She was always doing kind things for others and helping the poor.” There is so much to learn from the life of Dorcas.

Dorcas became ill and died but the people she did life with were not ready to release her just yet. The Bible says that Peter was off on mission visiting churches. As soon as they heard he was in their area, they sent people to him. I can imagine they told the emissaries, do not come back without him. When Peter showed up, they gave him this charge – this one must not die; her life is too valuable to us. Why? Dorcas was a giver and had impacted so many lives and they were unwilling to let her go.

The weight of the intercession plus the fruit of her life was too much to ignore. And it was coming from a group of people that are typically abandoned – widows. Peter had to cry to God and heaven attended to the matter immediately and restored her life. There are people that their death brings relief and causes rejoicing. That will not be your story, in Jesus Name. Dorcas passed on and these people’s intercession broadened Peter’s ministry just to sort her out. The hand that gives never lacks. You cannot open your life to be used by God and lack. It is not in God’s character to do that.

It is possible that whatever may have killed her, may have been lingering in her body for years or perhaps even since birth. But she only took ill and died around the time Peter was in town. In death, her good works spoke for her and because of her life style, Peter came to a town that was probably not on his visitation list. The Bible records that many believed because of her story and Peter stayed a long time in that town. Amazing!

Prayer: Holy Spirit, I ask that You help renew my mind with this truth and empower me to give in ways that people’s lives will be changed forever, in Jesus Name. Amen!