35 And all who lived at Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.
36 Now in Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which translated in Greek is called Dorcas); this woman was abounding with deeds of kindness and charity which she continually did.
37 And it happened at that time that she fell sick and died; and when they had washed her body, they laid it in an upper room.
38 Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, having heard that Peter was there, sent two men to him, imploring him, “Do not delay in coming to us.”
39 So Peter arose and went with them. When he arrived, they brought him into the upper room; and all the widows stood beside him, weeping and showing all the tunics and garments that Dorcas used to make while she was with them.
40 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.
41 And he gave her his hand and raised her up; and calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive.
42 It became known all over Joppa, and many believed in the Lord.
43 And Peter stayed many days in Joppa with a tanner named Simon.” Acts 9:32-43.
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We conclude the chapter of Acts 9 with the accounts of the healing of Aeneas and the rising of the dead of Dorcas. There are three central characters who received grace from God in this chapter of Acts: Saul, Aeneas, and Dorcas.
I am calling Dorcas “the Good”, “this woman was abounding with deeds of kindness and charity which she continually did”. I am calling Saul “the Bad”, “how much harm he did to Your saints at Jerusalem”. I am calling Aeneas “the Paralyzed”, figuratively, because nothing is said in this Scripture of any good or bad that he did or anything at all, and literally, because “he was paralyzed”.
This mixture of characters is like what is in life. There are the apparent good. There are the apparent bad. And, there are those who don’t seem to do much good or bad or anything at all. Yet, God shows grace to people within all three categories. And, so should we.
We are reminded of Romans 9:15-16. “For He says to Moses, “I WILL HAVE MERCY ON WHOM I HAVE MERCY, AND I WILL HAVE COMPASSION ON WHOM I HAVE COMPASSION.” So then it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy.”
We are also reminded of the Scripture that was quoted in the last devotion, Matthew 5:45-48. “But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. “For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? “If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? “Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions 