When
You Need a Miracle
In Joppa there
was a disciple named Tabitha (which, when translated, is Dorcas ), who
was always doing good and helping the poor.
About that time she became sick
and died, and her body was washed and placed in an upstairs room.
Acts 9:36-37
Apparently there are 20,000
patients per year who receive chemotherapy
treatments in Louisville, Kentucky,
and most lose their hair. I was a student chaplain in one of those
wards back in the 1970's. When Lynette LeGette discovered this, it
brought her
to tears. She also learned that patients complain about being cold
during the
night and wrap pajamas or towels around their heads to keep warm. This
gave
Lynette an idea, but a challenging one. She said, "I thought I couldn't
possibly meet that need. It seemed an overwhelming project."
Lynette’s project was to
create turbans for cancer patients who
lost their hair. Some of her first creations were sent to a mother in Kansas.
Lynette made the woman many caps for both winter and spring. Later,
when
Lynette met the woman's 7-year-old daughter, the girl ran up to her,
wrapped
her arms around her legs, and said, "You made my mom so happy—she has a hat to go with every
outfit."
Lynette is known as the Hat
Lady. From July 2002 to December
2004, Lynette and her now six volunteers made 1,000 turbans—providing them at no charge to
those in need.
Lynette is a modern day
Dorcas. She says, "When you ask the
Lord what you should do, you need to be willing to listen for the
direction and
recognize the opportunities he gives you."1.
A modern day Tabitha, or Dorcas as the name is known in Greek.
We read of her in Acts chapter 9.
Luke, the author of Acts has a curiosity about people, and he passes on
what he discovers. One of the features about Luke is he likes to know
where people live and what is their occupation.
And so we know there was a woman named Tabitha--I will use her Aramaic
name because she is Jewish.
She lives in the town of Joppa which is a sea port in north west
Israel. It is near the town of Lydda where Peter is visiting. We are
also told that following the conversion of Paul, there is a brief quiet
period in which the young church has peace, and the apostles are free
to visit churches. Peter is visiting the church in Lydda when some
believers approach him from nearby Joppa.
We also know that Tabitah is likely a seamstress. Her friends are
gathered around her body, displaying the clothes she has made. We also
know that she is known for doing good charitable works and helping the
poor.
Undoubtedly a fair number of poor children and widows in Joppa wore
"creations by Tabitha".
Just incidentally, have you ever noticed whose names appear in
scripture in an approving way?
Just think about it.
How often are the rich and powerful commended?
There are a few.
How often is some otherwise unknown person suddenly front and center of
God's attention for exactly the reasons we now know about Tabitha.
There are many.
Sure we know about her because Peter comes and brings her back from
death.
But the reason that happens is because her death is considered such a
tragedy by the people who love her.
And its not because she is on the Entertainment Today's "A" list.
She is someone who just has made a habit of doing good for others.
It doesn't require a committee or a fortune to spend.
She simply observes what people around her need and she does what she
can to help.
Just like Lynette Legette of Louisville, Kentucky and thousands more
who you know or have read of.
Do what you can where you can. Whether its great or small.
That's how you get on God's "A" list.
But Tabitha has become critically ill. Luke says she has died and her
body washed and laid out in an upper room prior to burial.
Reading the account in Acts, it sounds as though Tabitha has died and
is prepared for burial before the messengers even set out for Lydda.
That may be the case; and if it is, would indicate the kind of faith
the people of Joppa had both in Peter but also in the power of God at
work in Peter. Because if that is the case they are looking for a
resurrection, not just a healing.
I say "not just a healing", as if that were commonplace.
Commonplace no, but certainly more within most people's realm of
experience.
But yesterday I heard the first hand accounts of the revitalization of
a young man named Li Peng.
He was a university of Victoria student and I think in the summer of 2006 became
victim of a drowning accident in a friend's pool. Perhaps you remember the story.
He lay in the bottom of the swimming pool for many minutes before
retrieved, then rushed to hospital where he was on life support for
many days.
The ICU doctors asked the father who had come from China to be with his
son whether they could remove life support.
Li's father had made aquaintenship with the pastor and members of
Chinese Pentecostal church here in Victoria, and was convinced God
would raise him up so refused permission to remove life support.
The pastor and one or two others spoke about how they laid hands on his
lifeless body in the ICU and saw life come back into him.
I won't call it a resurrection because he had not been pronounced dead,
but its close enough.
And to finish the story, a few were on a short term mission to China
where Li Peng now lives and were encouraging him to use his personal
testimony in telling about his faith in Jesus.
Infrequent, but they do happen.
But whether they come looking for a healing or a resurrection, they
need a miracle.
They are not afraid to ask.
I think we do not take enough risks. We play life too safe and so do
not give God a chance more often than not.
Clare Lowery read this passage for us at our prayer group on Wednesday.
In the devotional book she uses, the author asks the question, "what is
a miracle?" She quotes a young child as saying, "it's when you feel the
touch of God."
And I think that pretty much says it.
A dictionary kind of definition would say that a miracle is when events
take place that defy the normal scientific cause and effect
relationship, or when extra-ordinary events take place that seem to
defy cause and effect.
Some people see a miracle in a sunset or the birth of new life, though
they are normal and can be explained.
I like the child's definition. "A miracle is when you feel the touch of
God on your life."
And often are the times in our lives when what we need more than
anything else is to feel the touch of God on our lives.
Peter gets up and heads out immediately.
When he arrives he goes upstairs and there is Tabitha laid out,
surrounded by weeping widows displaying her work.
What a touching scene of love and a simple testimony to a life well
lived.
She is surrounded by people who loved her and by examples of her life's
work and mission.
Peter sends them all out of the room.
Some commentators compare this to the raising of Jairus' daughter.
When Jesus arrives at Jairus' home there is a crowd around the little
girl, and Jesus sends them all out except for his disciples and the
child's parents.
What Jesus says is "Talitha, cumi". This means little girl, arise.
What Peter says is "Tabitha, anastethi...Tabitha, get up.."
But there is a world of difference between the two.
When Jesus sends the people from the room, he is "shooing" them from
the room.
These people had been mocking his words that the girl is asleep.
Jesus leaves the parents and his disciples present.
Then he commands the girl to arise, and she does.
Peter asks everyone to leave.
Then he prays.
I believe he wants to be alone in prayer so as not to be distracted.
I think most of us feel that way. I know I do.
When I want to do some serious praying, I don't want anyone around.
I also believe that it was not until he sensed the Holy Spirit telling
him to speak to Tabitha that he stopped praying.
Because then he would have known he had the divine assurance his prayer
was answered.
But there is no disrespect to the people assembled there. Just a need
for solitude.
Jesus prays at Lazarus' tomb, but John says he prays not because he had
any hesitation, but he did so out loud for the sake of the assembled
group. Jesus knew he was the resurrection and the life in and of
himself.
Peter knew he needed the Holy Spirit to permit this resurrection.
And God gives the green light and the woman comes back to life. First
she opens her eyes, then Peter helps her to her feet and presents her
to her friends. That's all we are told except many become believers as
a result.
I would like to have a bit more detail of what happened when her
friends saw her.
Maybe the answer is too obvious.
Do you ever watch Extreme Makeover? If
you haven't it features some plain or homely person who by virtue of
kindly doctors and cosmeticians gets reconstructive surgery, face
lifts, implants of all manner. Some parts are minimized and other parts
emphasized, and of course a totally new wardrobe.
In the climactic moment, the host introduces the newl made over person.
The curtains part and out comes a brand new glamorous Dorothy to the
ooooo's and ahhhhhhh's of all present.
So we can imagine Peter standing at the top of the stairs addressing
everyone down below, their faces turned upward in expectation....
"ladies and gentlemen,.... let me present......... TABITHA!"
No, probably not, but it would make great T.V.
I wonder if this was such a great miracle from Tabitha's point of view.
My grandmother had such an experience. following childbirth.
Not a resurrection, but an out of body, near death experience following
the birth of her last child.
She spoke of it now and then.
During this experience she said she saw, not heaven, but paradise--a
beautiful garden filled with happy people. She recognized her sister
who had died as a young woman. Her sister beckoned her to come join
them. My grandmother said it was the most wonderful beautiful scene she
had ever witnessed and wanted to go so badly, but she knew there were
her husband and five children, one newly born, and that she could not
go. She said looking back at the world reminded her of a stirred up
anthill, all fury and angry, but she knew she had to return and so she
did. She lived into her eighties, a very fine Christian lady who raised
her children but saw many sorrows in her lifetime, one being the death
of her eldest son Harold, my namesake.
I never heard how her experience effected her grieving for Harold, but
I think it did make a difference.
I wonder if Tabitha was as happy as her friends, to be back in Joppa
when she might have remained in paradise.
We are not told.
I wonder that same about Lazarus. We never hear him say "thank you",
though his sisters do.
Maybe the sadness of death is just what we feel.
In times like that we all need a miracle, a touch of God on our life.
Rarely does it bring back our loved ones, but perhaps it can bring us
the assurance that to be in the presence of God is actually a very good
place to be.
So when you need a touch from God, who do you call?
A good place is to call someone who prays and will pray with you.
Or maybe you prefer solitude for that kind of prayer.
Get rid of distractions. Never pray with the T.V. on.
Like the people from Joppa, ask what you need.
Take the time to wait on God.
Maybe your miracle will be something amazing.
Maybe it will be a sense that God has heard.
Sometimes that's all we need, because then we know that we are still in
His loving hands.
When you need a miracle, go to the author.
In the meantime, Tabitha is a good role model.
Use what is at your finger tips for service to God and there is no
better service to God than caring for others.
Preached April 29, 2007
Dr. Harold McNabb
West Shore Presbyterian
Church
Victoria, British Columbia
Notes
1. The Southeast
Outlook (12-16-04), from
PreachingToday.com
Resources Consulted
William Barclay, Acts of the
Apostles, The Daily Study Bible, St. Andrews Press
F.F. Bruce, The Book of the Acts,
New International Commentary on the New Testament, Eerdmans, 1977
Alan Richardson, A Theological Word
Book of the Bible, MacMillan Press.
Johannes Munck, The Acts of the
Apostles, The Anchor Bible, Doubleday, 1967
T.C. Smith, Acts, Broadman
Bible Commentary.
Online Resources Consulted
http://www.preachingtoday.com/
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