PrayerBits for Thursday

PrayerBits

A bite sized devotional program
produced by the West Side Presbyterian Church

Thursday

Scripture lesson: Acts 9:36-43 Why Dorcas?

Time to Reflect: Of all the people that died around Peter, why was Dorcas revived? There is no answer to this question or why some people recover from incurable illnesses and others do not. But this is a story about the power of God. Faith in God can transcend the normal. [By the way, tanners were, by definition, ritually impure and excluded from the religious community. It says a lot that Peter stayed in his house.]

Moving Through the Day: Pray in behalf of those you are aware of that are critically ill.

Scripture:  

 36In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which, when translated, is Dorcas), who was always doing good and helping the poor. 37About that time she became sick and died, and her body was washed and placed in an upstairs room. 38Lydda 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!"

 39Peter 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.

 40Peter 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. 41He 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. 42This became known all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord. 43Peter stayed in Joppa for some time with a tanner named Simon.