Scripture: Acts 16:14
A certain woman named Lydia, a worshiper of God, was listening to us; she was from the city of Thyatira and a dealer in purple cloth. The Lord opened her heart to listen eagerly to what was said by Paul.
Thought for the Day: If you are close to my age, you may remember something called a mixtape. You would put all your favorite songs on a cassette tape and play it in the car – if you actually had a car (I did not). Or maybe you made one for your girlfriend (boyfriend) with songs that attempted to communicate your deepest felt emotions. This gift was usually left in a locker or even on a front porch as a gift showing your emotional vulnerability without actually being emotionally vulnerable within 500 yards of the person. We do not open up very well to one another, yet we claim to follow a guy whose central teaching was love. Now I’m no expert on love, but my study and experiences of it mostly required an openness – whether it was a romantic relationship or the kind of love that Jesus invited us to express toward those we encounter in life. Lydia found herself before Paul, and something occurred that created an openness to what Paul was preaching. So moved was Lydia that she and her household were baptized, and her home became a home for Paul. We may claim vulnerability through a mixtape and a distance of more than 500 yards, but God needs us to risk it a bit more than that. We need to stand in the presence of one another and the presence of God with an openness to receive the message that can change us and our households completely.
Prayer: Open my heart, O Lord, to you and your message of love and acceptance. Even when I am cautious and feeling anxious, create within me greater trust so as to receive your gifts. Amen.
TODAY – DO NOT MISS IT
