Faithful to the Lord
And when she and her household were baptized, she begged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” So she persuaded us. Acts 16:15
I love this passage about Lydia. In fact, it is one of my favorites. I know I say that a lot, but I especially like this account because Lydia is one of the first women talked about who had a church in her home. We know she was wealthy because the passage says that she was a seller of purple which was expensive and mostly sold to royalty. No doubt she had a home big enough to have gatherings of significant size and most importantly, the text also says that she was faithful to the Lord.
Being faithful to the Lord cannot be evident if it doesn’t show up in every area of life. In this reading, Lydia’s faithfulness shows up most in her hospitality and generosity. On the very day that she met the apostle Paul and his team, she invited them to stay at her home. In fact, she pleaded with them to come right then and there. It implies that she was ready to host and take people into her home at all times, a very gracious and giving quality.
This gives me a lot to think about. As I consider my own faithfulness, I have to ask if I am also willing to take people in? Yes, we host many events and groups in our home, but if I am being honest, I really like having my own space and quiet place. However, faithfulness includes being prepared. Am I stewarding my home to be ready at any time to invite others in? Am I using my time to be making preparation for the things and people I don’t know I need to be ready for? Is my heart open to giving recourses of generous amount to bless those God would bring my way? This is not to say that I need to be constantly striving and stressing about everything being perfect, it simply means that I create a space that is welcoming, comfortable and ready when opportunity comes.
Today I want to encourage you to approach each day with an open heart. God’s timing is perfect and His transforming power can touch your life in unexpected ways. Your faithfulness, like Lydia’s has the power to impact not only your life, but the lives of those around you. Be ready to welcome others into your home and into your space. This is part of showing others God’s great love and generosity. Then your journey will be filled with the joy of knowing Him more deeply as you serve others every chance you get.
Today’s scripture reading: Acts 16:11-15
11 Therefore, sailing from Troas, we ran a straight course to Samothrace, and the next day came to Neapolis,
12 and from there to Philippi, which is the foremost city of that part of Macedonia, a colony. And we were staying in that city for some days.
13 And on the Sabbath day we went out of the city to the riverside, where prayer was customarily made; and we sat down and spoke to the women who met there.
14 Now a certain woman named Lydia heard us. She was a seller of purple from the city of Thyatira, who worshiped God. The Lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul.
15 And when she and her household were baptized, she begged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” So she persuaded us.
The Daily Dose 