Journal Entry by Sam Jones
S - Scripture: Acts of the Apostles 9:40 (NLT)
“But Peter asked them all to leave the room; then he knelt and prayed. Turning to the body he said, “Get up, Tabitha.” And she opened her eyes! When she saw Peter, she sat up!”
O – Observation
Peter knew that there was a miracle to be done. It wasn't showmanship, nor magic, but it was between Peter, God and Tabitha. What really stands out here is the process - he knelt, then prayed, then turned and commanded Tabitha to "get up".
A – Application
The sequence that Peter demonstrates here is how I need to sequence my prayer life. Kneel - take a position of surrender, abandonment before the Lord. Pray, and be in tune with the Holy Spirit. Listen for His timing and prompting. Tabitha was dead. One thing I know is that with challenges I have faced in my lifetime, dealing with a dead body and the expectation of bringing that person back to life, has not been on my list. Peter surrendered to the Lord, coming humbly, yet boldly and literally speaking life into Tabitha. Wow. I'd never thought of the whole 'speak life' thing as a literal action, but here is Peter doing just that.
P – Prayer
Lord God, help me to speak life, just as Peter did, into situations around me everyday. I surrender my intentions to You, knowing that you will show me where, and when, You need me for your work. Amen.