Listen

One of those women was Lydia, a Gentile God-worshipper from the city of Thyatira, a dealer in purple cloth. As she listened, the Lord enabled her to embrace Paul’s message. Once she and her household were baptized, she urged, “Now that you have decided that I am a believer in the Lord, come and stay in my house.” And she persuaded us.

Acts 16:14-15

Think

Just think about the routine Lydia had before her that day she met St. Paul: working hard outside the safety of the city, just like any other day, to support her household. And then something out of the ordinary happened: she hears the good news of the gospel and “the Lord enabled her to embrace Paul’s message” (v. 14). “Gentile God-worshipper” that she was, her openness to the gospel of Jesus Christ allowed Christianity to take root in Europe and made her the first person to be baptized on the European continent. Today, at the site of Lydia’s baptism, stands the Baptistery of Saint Lydia. Every May 20th, adults are baptized to commemorate her baptism.

What about our day’s routines: are we so chained to familiarity and end results that we find it impossible to stop and open our hearts to the hear God’s saving word? Thankfully, our God seeks us out to save us every day, sometimes in the most extraordinary ways. May God enable us to bravely embrace our salvation!

Sarah Boatwright

Pray

Help me open my eyes and heart, O Lord, to your saving presence.

Amen.

Go

O teach my heart to know Your Word
And treasure all that I have heard
O raise this everlasting seed
To bear the fruit of Christ in me

Abe and Liza Philip in “O Teach My Heart to Love Your Word” (2009)