Laura Ingle

Key scripture – “A woman name Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a dealer in purple fabrics who was [already] a worshiper of God, listened to us; and the Lord opened her heart to pay attention and to respond to the things said by Paul.” Acts 16:14 (AMP)

In today’s Key scripture, we meet a woman named Lydia. She and her friends had gathered for prayer on the Sabbath when they encountered the Apostle Paul and his traveling companions just outside Macedonia, near the riverbanks.

Scripture tells us Lydia was already a worshiper of God. But as Paul shared the Good News of Jesus and His redeeming work on the cross, we learn, “The Lord opened her heart to pay attention and to respond to the things said by Paul” (Acts 16:14b).

I absolutely love that statement! So let’s not breeze past or miss any of its significance.

The word opened in the original Greek is dianoigõ, which means, “to open thoroughly what had been closed. To open one’s soul (mind, will, emotions), to rouse in one the faculty of understanding or the desire of learning.”

In those priceless moments down by the riverside, God opened Lydia’s mind to pay attention and understand a fresh revelation of Jesus. He deposited a desire in her heart to learn more about the gospel of grace which Paul was generously sharing.

We need to let this be our heart’s greatest desire — today and every day!

In our special moments with God, let’s ask Him to gently open our hearts wide so we can receive a fresher revelation of Jesus. No matter how much we think we know about Him, let us long to know Him more!

Let’s yearn for a deeper understanding of His character and attributes. Let’s wake up every day saying, “Good Morning Father,” and embrace the desire to spend time with Him before anyone else, discovering His truths, memorizing His precepts and rejoicing in His promises.

In the quiet moments that we spend with God as we read through the pages of the Bible, if we come to a part we don’t understand, pause and ask the Lord to, “pull back the veil so I can see You more clearly and hear You more distinctly. Open my eyes to see the wonderful things in Your Word and open my mind and heart to understand it and to know how to apply it in my life,” and when He does, let’s respond with a wellspring of praise, joy, and gratitude.

Pray This – Our Precious Heavenly Father, I thank You that I can come boldly before Your throne of grace and worship You. Lord, soften my heart and open it wide to receive all the love You have for me. Give me a greater desire to spend time with You. Teach me Your ways and help me to understand Your attributes as I read my Bible and meditate on Your Word. I want to know You more. I want You to “Open my eyes to see wonderful things in your Word.” (Psalm 119:18, TLB). As I meet with You, and it is just the two of us, I want You to instruct me, change me, and guide me with Your Word. I don’t want to miss a single thing in Your Word that could make a difference in my day and in my life. I don’t want the distractions of the clock or the weight of my daily assignments to pull my thoughts away from You. When I meet with You I want to experience a momentary Sabbath rest. Help me Holy Spirit to pray, ponder, understand and respond to Jesus. In Jesus’ Name, I pray Amen.