Greetings to all my dear sisters in Christ. I am joyful to connect with you again through this column. We are in the final quarter of this year. Post pandemic, this year has almost flown past us trying to catch up with the lost things during the lockdown period. Our dear Lord is being with us yesterday, today and tomorrow and will lead us, guide us and will sustain us.

Whenever I mediate on the missionary works of Apostle Paul, each time I am awestruck with his dedication, diligence, open mindedness to accept, obedience to the Lord and sustaining through hardships and severe persecution. He writes:   “ for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus. “   ( Galatians 6:17 ). He also did evangelism with many women, jewish or otherwise,  a neglected lot socially those days. He not only made them accept the Lord but made several women acclaimed leaders in Christ and equipping with sound theology that even these women have the ability to guide theologians themselves ( Acts 18:26). It is also stated that the author of the celebrated book of Hebrews is also written by one such woman !  I intend to meditate on Acts Chapter 16 where another woman is brought into Jesus by Paul.

Apostle Paul is forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the Word in Asia (Acts 16:6) and is guided in a vision to go to Macedonia to “help them” ( Acts 16:9) . The obedient Paul and his team end up in the city of Philippi ( in Macedonia, present day Greece).  The city of Philippi was a colony of Romans and was an important city. Great wars have been fought between factions of the Roamn nobility near this city in BC 423. Many of the higher echelons of the Romans Army post retirement lived there peacefully. Notable is also we understand that there was no synagogue in this city.

Lydia was from Thyatira, a city known for purple dye, unique and exquisite color preferred by the elite and the noble. This lady migrated to Philippi and was trading in purple cloth. We can understand from  above  the demand for the purple cloth / dye  in this city. It is also mentioned that she worshipped God ( Acts 16:14). In the absence of a synagogue, prayers were made near the riverside of this city. On the Sabbath day, Paul went to the riverside and engaged with a group of women in prayer. Lydia was one among them. She not only accepted Christ forthwith , but also was baptized. Her family was also baptized shortly.

Here comes the important part of the message. It is written that “ The Lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul”. The Lord says : “ Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My  voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me (Revelation 3:20) . Lydia already was a worshipper. Even though a busy woman entrepreneur and rich her heart longed for God. She opened her house and God opened her heart. Later on we see that she literally “begged” and “challenged” Paul and his team to stay in her house (Acts 16:15). She further opened her house for the Lord’s mission. I am very sure that the Lord blessed her more and more.

The name of Lydia is mentioned only a few times in the Bible. We would have read Acts Chapter 16 many times which appears to have a just passing reference to this woman of faith. But we would be surprised to know that she was the first to be baptized in the city of Philippi and the first member of Phillipi church. This was the first Church established in the continent of Europe ! The Holy Spirit has opened Gospel to Europe  through her ! What and accreditation the Lord has given for such an ordinary lady !

Prayer : Dear Lord,

We thank you for your grace which has enables us to go through the year and we are standing in the last quarter of the year. Please bless us and give us the same volition and freewill as Lydia possessed to open her house to the Lord. As You opened her heart, please also open our heart by the Holy Spirit and reside in us and dine with us.

We ask this in Jesus name,

Amen .

God’s Love Missions Family.