Chapter 8—Dorcas—Her Ministry and its Influence
Restored to Life to Continue Her Ministry—In the course of
his ministry the apostle Peter visited the believers at Lydda. Here he
healed Aeneas, who for eight years had been confined to his bed with
palsy. “Aeneas, Jesus Christ maketh thee whole,” the apostle said;
“arise, and make thy bed.” “He arose immediately. And all that dwelt
at Lydda and Saron saw him, and turned to the Lord.”
At Joppa, which was near Lydda, there lived a woman named
Dorcas, whose good deeds had made her greatly beloved. She was a
worthy disciple of Jesus, and her life was filled with acts of kindness.
She knew who needed comfortable clothing and who needed sympathy,
and she freely ministered to the poor and the sorrowful. Her skillful
fingers were more active than her tongue.
“And it came to pass in those days, that she was sick, and died.”
The church in Joppa realized their loss; and hearing that Peter was at
Lydda, the believers sent messengers to him, “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 shewing the coats and
garments which Dorcas made, while she was with them.” In view of
the life of service that Dorcas had lived, it is little wonder that they
mourned, that warm teardrops fell upon the inanimate clay.
The apostle’s heart was touched with sympathy as he beheld their
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sorrow. Then, directing that the weeping friends be sent from the
room, he kneeled down and prayed fervently to God to restore Dorcas
to life and health. Turning to the body, he said, “Tabitha, arise. And
she opened her eyes: and when she saw Peter, she sat up.” Dorcas had
been of great service to the church, and God saw fit to bring her back
from the land of the enemy, that her skill and energy might still be
a blessing to others and also that by this manifestation of His power
the cause of Christ might be strengthened.—
The Acts of the Apostles,
131, 132
.
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