36 In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (in Greek her name is Dorcas); she 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 for the believers, especially 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.
10:1At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was known as the Italian Regiment. 2 He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly. 3 One day at about three in the afternoon he had a vision. He distinctly saw an angel of God, who came to him and said, “Cornelius!”
4 Cornelius stared at him in fear. “What is it, Lord?” he asked.
The angel answered, “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God. 5 Now send men to Joppa to bring back a man named Simon who is called Peter. 6 He is staying with Simon the tanner, whose house is by the sea.”
7 When the angel who spoke to him had gone, Cornelius called two of his servants and a devout soldier who was one of his attendants. 8 He told them everything that had happened and sent them to Joppa. [1]
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The Moravian New Testament reading for today put the healing of Tabitha together with first part of the story of Cornelius. Reading them together, the thing that jumped out at me was that both people, Tabitha and Cornelius, are commended for their service to the poor. Luke points out Tabitha’s charitable activity, and the messenger angel himself indicates that Cornelius’ generosity has become an offering to God.
This reminds me of Jesus picture in Matthew 25:31-46 of the sheep/goats judgment. The sheep are marked by their generosity to those who are poor, lonely, imprisoned, etc.
God commends His people for their kindness to those in need. This is a reflection of heart of our God, the same heart that led Him to save the world and redeem those who were in spiritual need. The compassion and generosity which led to the cross is to be reflected in our lives, not just by the desire to share the message verbally, but to share it by actions through our love for others, especially those in need.
This passage points to the truth that our attitude toward the needs of those around us is an indicator of the state of our heart, and how deeply the Gospel is influencing us. Do I view the Gospel as merely the announcement of the forgiveness of my sins and my ticket to heaven? Or has it become the basic ethos of my life, and the core values that are reflected in the Gospel (compassion, generosity, self-giving) are increasingly reflected in my life?
So my prayer today is that God work His heart in me, that, like Tabitha and Cornelius, I would be moved to help the poor, those in need, so that the love of God would be seen more and more in my life.
What is the Word leading you to pray about today?
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[1] The New International Version. 2011 (Ac 9:36–10:8). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.
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