The book of Acts describes Tabitha as a disciple who “was always doing good works and acts of charity” (Acts 9:36). When Tabitha died, Jesus’s followers in Joppa sent men to Peter who urged Him to not delay in coming with them to see her (v.38). They expected the Lord to do mighty things, and He did: Through Peter, God raised Tabitha from the dead, and “this became known throughout Joppa, and many believed in the Lord” as a result (v.42).
Sometimes my heart is numb or my head is distracted when I read God’s Word, and mighty works like this one from today’s reading roll past my heart without registering the awesome power of our God. Not only that, but when I read about these expectant disciples in Joppa, I realize I don’t often expect God to do mighty things. But God awakened my heart through this story, reminding me that He most definitely continues to display His power throughout and within His creation. For just as God raised Tabitha from the dead, He raised us too! We were once dead in our sin, but “because of his great love that he had for us, [He] made us alive with Christ…[We] are saved by grace!” (Ephesians 2:4–5).
I’ll most likely be trying to wrap my head around this truth until I’m home in heaven. It wasn’t because we were “always doing good works and acts of charity” that God saved us. No, it is by His power and His grace and because of His unimaginable love for us that He willingly went to the cross.
Wherever you are and whatever your worries, struggles, uncertainties, hardships, sufferings today—stop, be still, and meditate on what is true: The God whose power is so mighty that He is able to raise people like Tabitha from the dead is the same God who pursues you and me. Whatever your current circumstances look like, whether they stir up fear or thanksgiving in your heart, we can remember this truth.
The LORD your God is among you,
a warrior who saves.
He will rejoice over you with gladness.
He will be quiet in his love.
He will delight in you with singing.
—Zephaniah 3:17
If you are in Christ, your eternal life is secure because of Jesus. His blood has made this possible, but it was His love for you that led Him to the cross. He has raised you to “walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4). Rest in His mighty love for you today, for you are truly beloved indeed.
Written by Kimberly Girard
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47 thoughts on "Tabitha"
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CEE GEE… I did not see your info about the MacArthur study Bible. Thank you! I’ll go back and look. Do you remember what day?
Amen
Thank you so much everyone for your prayers and advice! I am not taking any of it lightly. I had a conversation with my boyfriend last night and he said he wants to start studying the Bible with me! Once I brought up our future I think he started to see how I want it to be, and I am praying that he will want to change for the better for himself and for our relationship. I will continue to be prayerful about it and do my best to trust in God’s will and not mine❤️
It is easy to do my studies as a “check” off my list. Most often that is not the case thank goodness. I find I gloss over more if I’m tired or in a hurry. That tells me I need to find a better time that day to sit down with God. This story about Tabitha is once again, amazing.
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I brought my friend with cancer to see Lauren Daigle at Red Rocks the other night. What an amazing night of worship! Such a beautiful venue. We had great seats and it brought me joy to see one of her bucket lists checked off.
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NINA SANTUCCI- Welcome! We are so glad you joined us! ❤
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MARIE S- Praying for safe travel and a good outcome with Gene and Michele! Praying the Holy Spirit is tilling their hearts and they will receive salvation. ❤
This is my first day following the SRT plan! This was a great verse to start out with. It’s nice to know sometimes others on are autopilot when reading too, appreciate the reminder to really sit and consider what I read here.
Welcome to SRT, Nina Santucci!❤️
Correction:
Salvation first, healing second
Gene is my brother, Michele is my SNL
Prayer needed, please payer warriors. Next Wed I’m driving from NOLA to Houston to support my SNL who is having a rough time with my brother who has dementia. He needs back surgery and he has refused to go to appointments and she is so fearful he won’t have the surgery. He is not in pain but his legs shut down and he becomes lame. She’s having a hard time getting him in a wheelchair. I pray God’s mercy, neither one proclaim Jesus as LORD so, Salcation first, healing second. Thank you for praying, Sisters
Marie, I’m praying for you as you go to help. And that your brother’s dementia will clear enough for him to have the surgery. I pray they both come to know Jesus as their Savior.
What an awesome reminder…our God is able!
Praying for you to be healed at your appointment today Wendy.
It is interesting to me that the disciples in Joppa sent for Peter AFTER Tabitha’s death. “Please come at once!” They said. (By custom burials took place in Jerusalem the same day the person died. But outside of Jerusalem up to 3 days were allowed. ) Tabitha had already been washed and prepared for burial! What faith those disciples displayed!
Another interesting tid bit is that Peter had been present in all three scriptural references of Jesus raising individuals from the dead.(Rulers daughter. Matt: 9:25, Widows son. Lk: 7:7-17, Lazarus. Jn:11:1-24)
I love when I read, “He pursues you and me” It warms my heart! I’ll say it again. HE, our JESUS pursues us! Love you all SO much! Happy Thursday! Can’t wait till tomorrow, (short day). More meetings this morning THREE to be exact! Thankfully its have day as we will come back at 4pm for Meet and Greet with our new families. Fun activities and food! Can’t wait to meet our new little munchkins! It’s going to be a LONG night (7:30pm). But worth it, and secretly can’t wait to go to sleep tonight! (LOL)
-Wendy praying that there is a resolution to your kidney stone issue
-Indiana Elaine praying that your surgery is successful and that your recovery is without issues
-Lashonda Hodges praying that you will know God’s comfort in the loss of your grandma
Tanya ♥️
Emily love “pray with expectation of a miracle “. I’m gonna do that today
Thank you LindaK
Continued: I am praying for freshness to come into my faith as I pray for people who need healing.
I am so convicted by the author’s admission that her heart sometimes becomes ‘numb’ to the power of God.
Thank you, KIMBERLY, for your words of encouragement today. Dorcas/Tabitha is one of those characters whose life could and sometimes does make us think we aren’t good enough/don’t do enough.
Thanks for the reminder that God loves us not because of what we do, but because of who He is. Beautiful testimony in Dorcas. May my life reflect the beauty of God’s love- not to show myself approved, but out of love and concern for others.
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Reminded of “Who Am I?” by Casting Crowns- “Not because of who I am, but because of what You’ve done
Not because of what I’ve done, but because of who You are..”
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This is from a resource on Biblegateway NIV Women’s Study Bible-
Dorcas: The Generous Disciple
Dorcas is named for the gazelle, a small, graceful and swift antelope known for its radiant, glowing eyes. Dorcas (Gk.) or Tabitha (Heb. or Aram.) was apparently well named. Dorcas, a Hellenist or Jewess who lived among the Greeks and spoke the Greek language, had become a Christian. Luke, the author of Acts, calls her a Christian “disciple,” the first and only time in the New Testament this title is used to describe a woman.
Dorcas lived in Joppa, a beautiful city situated on the Mediterranean coast, 35 miles northwest of Jerusalem. Being a seacoast city, Joppa saw numerous husbands and fathers depart into the dangers of perilous waters. Many men never returned from the sea, and they left behind them bereaved and destitute widows and orphans.
Dorcas had a heart for the Lord. She had loving eyes that saw another’s most urgent need. With skilled fingers, this disciple put her faith into everyday action. She stitched beautiful garments and distributed them generously to the city’s widows and children, the most pitiful victims of shipwrecks and storms.
Joppa’s residents loved Dorcas for her continual humble but worthwhile deeds of kindness and charity. After Dorcas became sick and died, her grieving friends prepared her body for burial, then sent two men to nearby Lydda to fetch the apostle Peter.
Peter came quickly. When he entered the upper chamber where the lifeless body lay, he saw the many widows wearing the garments Dorcas had sewn. Asking them to leave, Peter knelt and prayed. He said, “Tabitha, get up.” Taking her hand, Peter lifted her up and called her beloved friends to welcome her back to life. What a celebration that must have been!
The seacoast city of Joppa was no longer the same after Dorcas returned to life. Upon hearing and seeing the miracle of the living Dorcas, many turned to the Lord and believed. No doubt this generous disciple, gifted with skilled fingers and a heart for the Lord, picked up her needle and thread and continued her compassionate and benevolent ministry to all who lived around her.
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Love, hugs, and prayers! ❤
WENDY B- Praying appointment goes well!❤
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LaSHONDA- Praying for your family; rejoicing for your grandma! ❤
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INDIANA ELAINE- Praying for successful surgery and smooth recovery! ❤
LEANNE THOMPSON- Thanks for the update and excited to see what develops.Now you can relax and enjoy your vacation! ❤
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SHARON JERSEY GIRL- Praying for Gillian. ❤
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SANDI and others affected by wildfire smoke- praying for improved air quality SOON!❤
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ADRIENNE- Bless your heart! I hate losing sleep to that itch! We have chiggers in our yard and when I get bites, ZINC OXIDE (cream in a tube) works wonders! BTW- did you see my reply about the Bible?
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SEARCHING- Praying for healing/restored health for family member and wisdom and guidance for the teens. Thanks for mentioning Cerave. I use the regular cream – didn’t know about the itch cream! ❤
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KELLY- Praying for young mama/paperwork, etc. ❤
Thank You Lord for Your love, mercy and Grace. Let me never forget Your almighty power at work in and through my life and all things. In Jesus name, Amen
Praying Wendy for you appointment, that the stone has disappeared in Jesus’ name!
“Sometimes my heart is numb or my head is distracted when I read God’s Word“ too, Kimberly. I am thankful that I am in Christ, and my eternal life is secure because of him. Amen to that! ❤️
Today’s reading is a fairly short account – in just 7 verses we learn that Tabitha was a disciple, followed Jesus, was always serving. What beautiful things to be known for. And in just these short verses, she was miraculously healed and the power of Jesus became was lifted high, honored and glorified in her life. Tabitha’s friends believed that she could be healed. To me, this is a life well lived. It should be my hearts humble desire to live in such a way that if my life was summed up in 7 sentences, it would be said that I was a faithful follower and disciples of Jesus, fully believing in the power of Jesus, that I was serving and helping others, and because of this others believed and the Lord was honored and glorified. One of my favorite verses is found later on in Acts….’However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.’ Acts 20:24
Today’s reading challenges me to live this out, to firmly believe in and proclaim the power of Jesus and love others well. May it be so in my life.
Praying for the requests and noting these in particular….
Lashonda, so sorry for your loss. May God’s comfort surround you.
Indiana Elaine, praying your surgery goes well.
Meghan – there is such loving, lived, and learned wisdom shared from our hearts in this space. Praying you will have strength and courage to trust and not settle for anything less than God’s best for you.
Kelly(Neo) – I have an Android Samsung device and can’t reply:/
Thank you for praying for me. Sharon, Jersey Girl, I appreciate your words. I am off to my appointment now
I liked what Kimberly said about how the believers in Joppa who sent for Peter after Tabitha died were expecting God to do mighty things, and He did. It made me wonder if I also have those same expectations. Do I pray for a miracle in a seemingly hopeless situation, or do I stop myself because I don’t want to be disappointed? God knows my innermost thoughts and feelings anyway, so why not just go ahead and pray with expectations of a miracle? I don’t have anything to lose, and if I do end up disappointed because things don’t go the way I’d hoped, He can handle my feelings then, too. It doesn’t change Who He is or how He cares for me.
I forgot to reference the scripture!
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“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Ephesians 2:10
“There was a disciple named Tabitha”…
Tabitha was a follower of Christ, a learner, a believer. And notice what followed — she was always doing good and helping the poor.
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She was always serving and when she died, those who she loved and helped mourned her death.
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She was doing exactly what we are called to do as believers – good works…”For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
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Praying that this will be the legacy I leave behind – that I was a follower of Christ, always doing good and helping the poor.
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Still not able to reply on my laptop using FireFox – uggh!
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TERESA DONLEY – praise God that Amanda has had the drains taken out! continued prayers for a complete recovery!
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LEANNA THOMPSON – I’m so sorry to hear that you did not get the job you interviewed for, that must have been so disappointing. Prayers that God will have the perfect job for you in His perfect timing.
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MEGAN – I will be continuing to pray for wisdom & discernment in your relationship, and the courage to break it off if that’s how God leads.
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WENDY B – How heart breaking! Praying for God’s intervention – to take care of this kidney stone situation and to allow you to be with your daughter for the birth of your first grand. I can completely relate! We had our first grand 16 months ago – how hard it would have been to have to wait 6 weeks to see her! Praying for that miracle!!
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SANDI – praying for your husbands health in the midst of the fires.
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LASHONDA HODGES – I am so sorry for your loss, praying that God will comfort you at this time. Praise God your Grandma was a follower of Christ and is with Him now – fully healed!
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THANK YOU ALL for your prayers for Gilian! Please continue!
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Have a blessed Thursday sweet She’s!
It’s true like the author says how quickly we can read over a passage in the Bible so quickly and not really absorb it! I mean, especially in Acts! I honestly didn’t know who Tabatha was when I excitedly click on today’s reveal! It was like..who dat?!
And someone raised back from the dead!! Um, that’s not something little!
Every time we read of someone being raised back I always can’t help but put here how it must make those that lost someone, praying diligently and earnestly for them, they pass anyway, that these passages must make them say “why not the one I loved.”
We are all going to die. There is absolutely a 100% chance. Yet, when someone young passes, or a child before the parent, it makes us mourn in a different way. That’s why being kingdom minded is a balm. We need a longing that surpasses our want to be here. I was so much at peace when my mom died unexpectedly, that she had talked of her excitement for meeting Jesus soon! In her Bible daily! We don’t know much about Tabatha except she was loved by her neighbors and did lots of “good works and charity!” When I leave here, I hope people see my desire to help others and live for Jesus beyond anything else! I want to be a representative for Christ here and at my funeral! I have even a “funeral” playlist! Determined to play some songs I love for Jesus!! I need to write out my script as well, lol! My friend did that, she had ALS so knew she would have a funeral soon, and it was an impact funeral.
What’s my point today (lol)….I have no idea. I want to be an impact I guess! Rhonda “was always doing good works and acts of charity!” Amen! Hallelujah!
I’m glad Lashonda you have that balm in the passing of your grandma! What a good example! Prayers for comfort and peace, and good memories always!
CeeGee- I still haven’t looked up that song yet…I need to do that now!!
IndianaElaine- Praying for a smooth surgery today and relief!! No fear!
LaShonda, may your grandmother’s memory be a blessing. May the Holy One who comfort those who mourn in Zion comfort you.
Tabitha aka Dorcas was a woman who appeared to be loved by the widows. She made them clothes and these were women who were ” less thans” by society standards.
This appears to be some type of shiva service for her. Biblical commentators compare this to the the raising of Jairus’s daughter.
Verse 40:Peter sent them all out of the room. He knelt down,prayed, and turning toward the body said,” Tabitha, get up”.
What Peter does is pray and then he calls forth. J D Walt in his book on prayer says : This would mean prayer is less pleading and calling forth. The world around us desperately needs people with the audacity to speak like G-d speaks: to speak words in the power of the Spirit into formless empty, dark, and deep situations.The world needs followers of Jesus to become schooled and skilled in the creative speech of prayer.”
Thankyou;Searching for praying for my husband. Lashonda,praying and grieving for the loss of your grandmother,but rejoicing that she’s in heaven . RegardingTabitha…i wonder how she felt after Jesus raised her from the dead. Did she become a follower? She certainly must’ve believed in His resurrection and certainly wasn’t surprised when it happened !
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Accidentally posted today on yesterday, cue eye roll.
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The guidance and wisdom given by the Lord to Peter, and the answered prayers through his obedience – Thank You, Lord, for continuing to show us your power and love.
When the tears are flowing from unanswered prayers of loss, help my faith and trust in You and Your perfect plan to strengthen.
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LASHONDA HODGES – praying as you grieve your grandmother, rejoicing in her healing in heaven
TERESA DONLEY – praying for Ahmed and Jessica to know Jesus as Lord. My heart hurts with yours, sister.
WENDY B – praying kidney stones resolve soon, and you are able to travel when needed
MEGAN – joining my sisters here in prayer for you in relationship decisions. If only I had been wise enough to ask for prayer and wisdom at your age … similar situation and even though it ended after 4 years, by then I was so far away from God that I could hardly recognize who I had become. It was another 6 before I found my way back to the Lord and I can never get back that lost decade, but am so thankful for His forgiveness.
ADRIENNE – praying for relief from that itchiness! Sometimes pure aloe vera (I use fruit of the earth brand) or CereVe itch relief lotion helps me.
CEE GEE – Amazing Grace ❤️ and the 39 vs 40, thanks!
LEANNA THOMPSON – praying as you continue your job search
SHARON JERSEY GIRL – I’ve been able to reply using my Windows desktop, Firefox browser. Praying for Gilian.
MARIA J – praying for Paul’s conversion? Interesting question, and wow – what an a answer they would have received!
SANDI – praying about the smoke issues and husband’s allergies
TINA ❤️
MERCY ❤️
KELLY (NEO) ❤️
Lashonda, I am so sorry for your loss. Praying that you know God’s love and peace surrounds you and your family
Don’t you love this reminder: “The God whose power is so mighty that He is able to raise people like Tabitha from the dead is the same God who pursues you and me.”! I remember reading that when we start in Genesis and realize that the God of the Bible is the God who created the whole universe – out of nothing, what could be impossible for Him? And yet He willingly went to the cross out of His unimaginable love for us!! May we shine that love today and every day so many will believe in Jesus!
Praying for God’s comfort in your loss, Lashonda.
Thankful for Tabitha’s witness to her community. Her impact was tangible among the “least of these.”
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Her impact is also convicting. Should I suddenly die, would there be any in my community (not friends or family) who would weep or mourn for the loss?
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SHARON JERSEY GIRL – prayers for Gillian
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JANE K – continuing to pray for your granddaughter.
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INDIANA ELAINE – praying for a smooth surgery on your back today and a speedy recovery.
Thank you, Kelly! My daughter brought her to a urologist yesterday. Praying for healing and answers.
Lashonda, so sorry for your loss but praising God with you that your grandmother is now whole and with our Lord and Savior! ❤️
LASHONDA:Sending you much love, and hugs covered in prayers on your loss..
God bless you..♥️
Currently I’m experiencing grief following the passing of my grandmother. However, I am confident of her Christ exchanged life that her suffering ended and she is whole in the presence of the Lord. Sometimes our healing is in the mortal body, but in the new onw
So sorry for your loss. Prayers for you and your family.
So sorry for your loss Lashanda. Yet how blessed are you that your sweet grandma with Jesus!
So sorry for your loss, LaShonda. Praising God with you that she is home with her Savior
Lasorda, I’m praying for you as you grieve the loss of your grandmother. Even in grief, we rejoice, knowing our saved loved ones are with the Lord. I’m glad you have that assurance for your grandma.