In Acts 9:36-43 there is an incredible story of hope involving a woman with an unfortunate name.
Her name is Dorcas. (I wonder if she had a brother named Nerdly, sorry! I digress!)
She is proof that you can rise above a label and leave a legacy.
She lived in a little beach town called Joppa.
She was a really good lady who lived a really good life.
And then…she died.
Bummer.
She was known for her generosity. She had used her life making others better.
She helped out the left out and the left behind.
And then…she died.
Her friends had a problem with that.
They sent a message to the apostle, Peter: “you need to get here FAST!”
This is AFTER Dorcas has left the building, what do they expect Peter to do?
Peter shows up and enters a place of death and he is greeted with stories of life.
The F.O.D. (Friends Of Dorcas) start telling stories and that leads into an impromptu art show.
They show off the clothing that their friend had crafted for them.
Evidently Peter is intrigued.
He has heard the stories, he has seen the stuff.
He HAS to meet this lady!
He wouldn’t let a thing like death get in the way.
He makes everybody leave the room, he talks to God and then he talks to Dorcas…
“get up!”
And then…she does.
Then (I LOVE this part) He REINTRODUCES her to her friends.
Reintroduction is required because she is not the person that she once was.
She WAS dead, now she is NOT.
It’s actually a great picture of us.
God gives us the opportunity to be reintroduced.
No matter what we have been labeled,
He speaks life into our stories…
“get up!”
Suddenly we aren’t who we once were.
We are alive.
I want to be a Dorcas.
carbonated joy 