Get Up

Texts: 1 Kings 17:17 - 24 and Acts 9:32 - 43

Resurrection. Physical resurrection. Before Jesus and after Jesus there are stories about physical resurrection in the Bible. Jesus' resurrection was different because he did it himself. He didn't need help. But, that does not take away from the marvel and miracle of what I'll call assisted resurrections.

When we read the Bible, we often fit ourselves into the story. In the stories that we read today, I think it might be easiest to find ourselves in the character of the mother whose son has died or of the widows who are grieving about Tabitha's death. I'm sure that each of us has lost a loved one and prayed for some kind of miracle or gotten angry. It may be difficult to imagine ourselves as the son or as Tabitha, a person who has died and has been resurrected. It may be even more difficult to imagine ourselves as Elijah or Peter, calling out to God on behalf of someone who is dead with the result being resurrection.

However, just like Carl Jung asks us to interpret our dreams as if every person in the dream is an aspect of our self, I'd like us to interpret this scripture as if each person could be us.

Focusing on the story of Tabitha, first let us consider the widows. These women were not just grieving; they were also hopeful. It says that the disciples heard that Peter was near and sent for him. It also says that Tabitha was a disciple. It seems likely to me that the widows were of the disciples who sent for Peter. When Peter arrives they show him the tunics and other clothing that she made. They were overflowing with memories, praises, and love. Maybe they wanted Peter to know how important she was to their community. Maybe they wanted Peter to see how worthy she was of a miracle.

Whatever their motivation, what strikes me the most is that they called for Peter and hoped for a miracle. They had heard about him healing Aeneas, and while healing a man who was eight years bedridden is no small miracle, it isn't resurrecting someone from the dead. What kind of faith did they have? What kind of need did they have that they would turn so strongly to their faith for an answer? What kind of pain were they in that moved them to seek a miracle of this magnitude?

When we think of faith, do we think of some kind of superhuman power that calls down the glory of God? Do we think of someone who is near enough to perfection that they have some kind of right to ask God for the incredible? If these are our images of faith, it is little wonder to me that so few miracles are happening today.

I think faith is hitting rock bottom and not giving up. I think faith is taking God to task for promises made. I think faith is a result of having a strong connection with the Holy but at the same time feeling a deep longing or ache to have that connection manifested. This is the faith I see in the widow disciples. I believe this is the faith that we need to have. It is a passion, a hope, and an active striving. If we are the widows, we must get in touch with this intense emotion and motivation.

Can we see ourselves as Tabitha? Here we have a woman who has lived her life devoted to the cause of Jesus. She didn't give her hand-me-downs to the poor, but she made them clothes to wear. She was loved dearly by the widows to whom she gave selflessly, which tells us that there was more to their relationships then just giver and taker. She was a part of their lives and they were a part of hers. When Tabitha died it sent more than a ripple through their community, it sent a wave of grief and change. Can we see ourselves as Tabitha, woven into the community like the threads she wove into fabric for the people she loved?

And what of her resurrection? Can we see ourselves there? Have we been touched by the resurrection power of prayer? Have we yielded ourselves to a change so extreme that it brings breath into our lifeless body? We may not have experienced a physical resurrection, but as we yield to the breath of the Spirit, our bodies and our minds are quickened along with our souls. When we hear our Divine Beloved call to us to Get Up, do we have the will and the desire to do so? It can be so much easier to just keep laying there, ignoring or even not believing that it is us to whom the Voice is talking. Peter said, "Tabitha, get up." He called her by name. We need to be like Tabitha and hear our name being called. We need to believe that our name is being called and we need to respond by getting up.

How is it that we can be like Peter? Is it possible that we could physically raise someone from the dead? As I understand the teachings of Jesus, yes, it is very possible that our prayers could have resurrection powers. Jesus sent out his disciples to perform the very miracles that he performed. Peter raises Tabitha from the dead after Jesus' resurrection but before the Holy Spirit was sent on the day of Pentecost. That's amazing!

We are living post Pentecost. The Holy Spirit is no less powerful than before. God's strength and desire have not diminished. I do not have a clue why miracles are not performed every day in the name of Jesus. There are so many of us who profess our faith in Christ. Clearly it takes more than just declaring yourself a Christian to have this kind of extreme power of the Holy Spirit flow.

And truthfully, when we consider the ramifications of embodying such power, how many of us really want it? Elijah carried the boy upstairs and stretched himself over the corpse three times calling out to God. Peter sent everyone out of the room, knelt down, and then prayed before turning to the body of Tabitha and calling her name telling her to rise. We have no indication how long any of this took. We may romanticize that all this took about 15 minutes, but really, we don't know. I expect it takes some work to pray a prayer of resurrection power.

There is an account in the gospels of a boy who is possessed. The disciples could not cast out the demon. Jesus claims in Matthew that it is because of their lack of faith. In Mark he explains that "this kind only comes out through prayer." In other words, this is not easy or casual. You have to be prepared spiritually. You have to have a spiritual discipline to exercise this kind of power. It is like being a spiritual athlete. You have to train and be serious about what you want to do.

Can we see ourselves as Peter? It's hard. It is like imagining ourselves as Tabitha. Both of these disciples were absolutely invested in being a disciple. They both took their calling very seriously. They also both felt a responsibility to the people of their communities. They exercised their gifts and their talents, seeking to do good wherever they went.

Peter was gaining a reputation ... , a kind of fame, like Jesus had. That kind of celebrity will take its toll on a person. Imagining ourselves as Peter is a little like imagining ourselves as Mother Teresa, Bono, or the Dalai Lama. Who can attain to such a depth of discipline? And yet, I believe it is a worthy goal, to imagine ourselves this way. Not to pretend we are powerful when we aren't. Peter wasn't in it for the glory. This is about striving for that connection with God that will make us effective in our communities. It is about gaining a reputation for service and caring. It is about being attainable and not scary.

Peter was sent for and he yielded his plans to those in need. He heard the stories of the widows and he let their grief and hope move him. He took the risk to pray for a miracle.

Peter got up when the Spirit of God told him to get up. Tabitha got up when the Spirit of God through Peter told her to get up. And before all of this, the disciple widows got up in their grief and hope to send for Peter.

It is time to get up. It is time to hear our names being called. It is time to kneel and pray for a miracle. It is time to lift our voices and call for that miracle to happen.