Time to Heal
ACTS 9: 26-43 (JUNE 14)
Most people have heard of Mother Theresa. She was a sacrificial soul who tried to help as many as she could, especially the poor. She was highly favored for her humble work, and she meant so much to so many.
In today's scriptures, we meet the original "Mother Theresa"... a woman who gave of herself to help others in need.
But first...
Let's check in on Saul and Peter and see how they are doing.
Saul made it to Jerusalem, which was a dangerous place for him to be. The believers he went to meet with were afraid of him. They had heard about the "old Saul" before the transformation.
Barnabas took him to the apostles and told them all about what had happened to Saul and what he had been doing since then. The apostles allowed him to travel around Jerusalem with them, preaching in the name of Jesus.
Soon, some Greek-speaking Jews had a dispute with him and wanted to murder him. So, the believers (who now believed in him) took him away and sent him to his hometown of Tarsus.
Then the church experienced peace throughout the lands and more and more believers came to know Jesus.
Meanwhile, Peter was traveling around and went to visit the believers in Lydda, where he healed a paralyzed and bedridden man named Aeneas. This was a great testimony for the Lord in this city and caused more to believe. It was a great time to heal.
Then he was called to Joppa, and this is where we hear about the original "Mother Theresa". Her name was Tabitha. Her name pronounced in Greek was Dorcas.
Dorcas was dearly loved and admired. She lived in a town where many husbands and sons set sail on the seas, never to return again. This left many widows alone, or with children, and little or no money. Dorcas spent her days sewing clothing for these ladies and their children, and they appreciated her generous heart. Interestingly, she is the only woman in the bible to be called a "disciple." She was a true believer.
Dorcas got sick and died. This caused great sorrow for the widows of Joppa. In the clothes she had made them, they stood watch over her body. They had called for Peter and were waiting for him to come.
When he got there, they took him to her room. He asked them all to leave, then he knelt and prayed. He turned to Dorcas and said, "Get up, Tabitha." She opened her eyes, saw Peter, and sat up. Again, it was a time to heal.
Oh, how happy the widows were to have their sweet Dorcas back!
They spread the news all around the city. The more people who heard, the more became believers.
Peter spent quite a bit of time in Joppa with these new believers. While there, he stayed with Simon, a tanner of hides. This was a big deal because the Jewish considered anyone who touched dead animals to be unclean. So, Peter's stay with him showed that he was no longer bound by this belief, but by the word of God.
A lot went on during this particular time. God used Peter and Saul in miraculous ways to heal and draw others close to him. It was definitely a time to heal. And these people needed a healing, both physical and spiritual.
What about you? Do you need a healing? Is your heart hurting?
Turn to the one true Healer, and you will find the help and the hope you need to face whatever struggles are in front of you. It is always a Time to Heal.