Thursday, September 8 – Acts 9:40-41
But Peter sent them all out and knelt down and prayed, and turning to the body, he said, “Tabitha, arise.” And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up. And he gave her his hand and raised her up; and calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive.
Throughout the book of Acts, many miracles were done on a large scale in front of an audience. Many witnessed the miracles and came to believe from the change they saw take place right before their eyes. This miracle was different. Peter was called to be with those who were grieving. He responded, listening to their grief, and sent them out before he lifted this situation in prayer to the Lord, who performed a miracle through the power of the Holy Spirit.
There are times in our faith that we expect God to work amid the crowd, whether at a large church concert or a camp experience. While there is certainly something powerful about those moments when we are surrounded by people coming to faith in Jesus, we must remember the same God is alive, active, and working in your life—even in the moments that feel mundane. When you engage in time in His Word or come to Him in prayer, He is working in you, transforming you into His likeness more and more. As we will see in the verses that follow, the response to this miracle done without a crowd was the same as those that happened in front of many—people came to believe. At times God will give you clarity or grow your faith in ways that everyone can see, but many solitary moments will grow your relationship with Christ or the person you are witnessing to in a profound way. Let’s seek God to give us the discernment for when it is a moment for a crowd or a few.
- What are some major markers in your life of faith? Were they in a crowd, with a few, or on your own?
- How does it encourage you to know God can work in the crowd and the quiet moments in your life?
- Pray and ask God to open your eyes to how He is working at all moments in your life, whether in a crowd or on your own.
