March 15, 2011

Lydia - Her Opportunities are Great!


Janice Keats

Scripture: Acts 16: 11-15

I picture Lydia as a happy and content woman. It showed in her hospitality when she persuaded her Christian friends to stay at her house when they came to town. Lydia and her guests were worshippers of God. What do you suppose sustained their happiness in worshipping God? I believe they supported each other and shared progress in ministry. Sharing good news among friends generates pure joy in the Lord. It motivates and encourages and builds faith, resulting in being filled with abundant blessings!

There is so much opportunity in the Christian life. There is the opportunity to fellowship, and to experience God’s love and joy in serving Him. Lydia was a servant of God and her community. Perhaps she partnered with others as she ran her business of selling purple cloth. Her joy was from the Lord! God has given each of us gifts and abilities and the opportunity to avail of them. Have we availed of our opportunities and accepted God’s courage to do His Will? His Will has been perfected and chosen for each person. So we can release all that hinders our walk with Him, because He has given His best to us.

We each have the opportunity to share in the peace, the fulfillment and a prosperous life. Much like Lydia’s life. We have been given different gifts but there is one thing that God has given that is the same for everyone. We all have been given the same promises from God! You may wonder what they are. He will give us strength to do His Will. He will give us courage to reach out to others. He promises forgiveness when we go astray, and He promises to be near to the brokenhearted, just to name a few.

God’s Word is full of promises that can never be broken. Psalm 46: 1, 2 says, “God is our refuge and strength, an ever present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea.”
Another promise He provides is, “He satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.” (Psalm 107:9). We can taste and see that God is good. It requires simple trusting faith, and then we will discover that God is indeed God, and He always come through on His promises. Just ask anyone who has had his or her prayers answered.

Janice Keats

2 comments:

  1. Lovely. Lydia was a great example of Christian hospitality, to be sure. My eldest daughter is named Lydia (Not necessarily after the Biblical one, although I did take that into consideration) and it has always been a role model for her to look to.

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  2. This is so encouraging!
    Pam M.

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