An Open Heart
September 22, 2011
“The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message.” -Acts 16:14
In my Bible study at church, we are studying To Live is Christ by Beth Moore. I believe this was her 3rd study so we love every week seeing Beth’s hair and clothes from the mid 1990s:) The Word is still and always so relevant to our lives though!
Lydia was a topic in this week’s study. That verse is about her and it struck me so deeply. Lydia was a Christian business woman who opened her home to others. She was successful in the marketplace and probably struggled with balancing it all like a lot of us do.
I just love the power of God working in our lives! Here was Paul who was headed to Asia to spread the Gospel and felt hindered by the Lord not to continue. Instead of getting upset at his plans being re-routed, Paul pressed on, trusting the Spirit of the Lord leading them. In a vision, God spoke to him to go to Macedonia.
Enter Lydia. And the Lord opened her heart. With that, the Gospel was introduced to Europe. One door closed and another opened to a continent, changing its history forever.
It’s not our plans.
It’s not our path.
It’s not our power.
The Lord opens the heart to respond and lives are changed, hearts are encouraged and history is marked.
