Daily Devotional for Tuesday, March 7th

Lydia

“And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul. And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought us, saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained us,” Acts 16:14, 15.

Have you ever considered the intricate details of how God has delivered the gospel through different people groups and nations throughout Christian history? Lydia’s story is one that makes me stop to consider just how God brought her to faith and how He used her for the sake of His kingdom. Lydia was from the pagan city of Thyatira, and she was a businesswoman. It would have been common for Lydia to worship many gods and reject the one true God. It is also extraordinary, given the culture, that she was a businesswoman and recognized as such in Scripture.
Lydia’s heart was touched by the gospel, and she responded in faith. The key verses make it seem as though she is responsible for sharing the gospel with her household and leading in their conversion. This great woman of faith was then used by God to support the ministry of the apostle Paul thus propelling the gospel in Phillippi.
We cannot always see physically the work of Holy Spirit. But, we can trace the evidences of His working and directing in people’s lives. The Holy Spirit had prepared Lydia’s heart for the gospel and led Paul and Timothy to Phillippi to preach and baptize. A short examination of these circumstances is a great reminder that God will use willing people who are submissive to the Holy Spirit for the advancement of the gospel.

REFLECTION: If you allow God to direct your life through His Holy Spirit, there is no telling how greatly He can use you.

Steven Ridings