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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.(Acts 9:36-43 NIV)
Blessings upon blessings dear Friend be yours. Receive the day as your gift from God to be and make of it all you can, with an emphasis on making new believers in Jesus Christ. Please be in prayer for Mr. Steven Slavik, who is on life-support at St. David's Hospital in Austin as he battles cancer. Prayers also for his wife, Penny and their children. May God bring the needed comfort and healing as only God can. Prayers also for our son-in-law Eric Cortez, who today underwent a procedure to remove adhesions from his intestinal tract and doctors believe they've gotten to ther problem that has had him in the hospital since Friday morning. A small section of his intestine had to be removed due to the severity of the condition there
The book of Acts is the second part of the book of Luke. Written by Lucanas, a Gentile physician, it was the culmination of oral history, interviews with eyewitnesses, and a heartfelt desire to tell the world about this man we know as our Lord Jesus Christ. The original two-part book was divided by the Church believing that the Gospel of John, the spiritual gospel would better serve the Church with its teachings on the Holy Spirit that the Gospelof Luke does not have. The Book of Acts is a history of the early Church featuring the work of not only Paul, but also Peter, who is the star of today's passage.
Peter was evangelizing in Lydda when he gets word that a solid Christian woman and worker named Dorcas in Greek, but Tabitha in Hebrew, had gotten ill and died. She had devoted her life to helping the poor and doing good works for all people. Her body had already been washed and readied for burial; but when the believers in Joppa heard that Peter was nearby they send word to get him to come at once to do what he could for Tabitha. The men sent to find Peter do so and return with him and Peter goes upstairs to where the saint's body lay. Peter enters the room to find those whom Tabitha had helped, crying and showing him the robe and clothing she had made while alive; Peter dismissed them and Peter kneels and prays. After his prayer, he turns towards the body of Tabitha and says, "Tabitha, get up." She opens her eyes and sees Peter and sits up. He takes her by the hand and helps her to her feet. He then calls the believers to reenter the room and shows her to be alive. This miracle becomes the topic of discussion for many there in Joppa and the surrounding area, serving to bring new believers to the Lord Jesus Christ. Peter stays for an additional amount of time in Joppa with a tanner named Simon.
The story of Tabitha (also known as Dorcas) is more than a miracle—it’s a testimony to the ripple effect of resurrection life. Tabitha was known for her acts of kindness and generosity, for clothing the widows and caring for the most vulnerable. She lived her faith in tangible ways, embodying the love of the risen Christ. Her death brought sorrow, but her restoration brought awe—and many believed in the Lord.
This Easter season, we see the power of resurrection not only in Jesus but in the lives He touches through us. Tabitha’s life and return point to the ongoing work of the risen Christ—He is still calling people to rise. Through prayer, faith, and compassion, God breathes new life into what seems hopeless. In quiet rooms of grief, He speaks life again.
Peter didn’t raise Tabitha by his own power. He knelt in humility and prayed, and it was God who restored. That same Spirit is still moving. Where kindness is extended, where faith acts boldly, and where grief is met with grace, resurrection is unfolding still.
PRAYER: Risen Lord, You are the source of new life. As we reflect on Your resurrection and its ripple effects, help us to become like Tabitha—generous, faithful, and full of love. Teach us to kneel in prayer and rise in service, trusting in Your power to bring life where death once reigned. Amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! OUR CALL TO ACTION: Offer your life as a witness to resurrection by serving others with love today—be the reason someone else sees hope again.
I love you and I thank God for you!
Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.
