The Heart God Opens

READ
Acts 16:14

CONSIDER
Meet Lydia. She is a successful businesswoman, a "dealer in purple cloth." She already worships God, but as she listens to Paul, "the Lord opened her heart to respond." This is a beautiful picture of how salvation and growth work. Paul shows us what is is like to LEAD someone through and to Jesus. 

This is really important: we can't save anyone, nor can we make ourselves holy by sheer willpower. It’s a partnership. Paul obeys the Holy Spirit and speaks to Lydia. God  works in Lydia’s heart. 

Isn’t that great news! It takes the pressure off us. Our job is simply to be faithful and clear about our faith; God’s job is to do the deep, inner work of transformation. When we live a life that is truly surrendered to God’s will, we become tools in God's hand, instruments in the hands of the Master Craftsman.

REFLECT
How do those last two paragraphs make you feel? Relieved? Encouraged? Scared? Intimidated? For years, the model for evangelism was handing out tracts, knocking on doors, and telling people what you believe and why. The modern version of that is short-form videos we consume online where someone goes toe-to-toe with people who believe differently as they debate their way into…well, I don’t know what.

BUT, remember, there’s great news! The Bible doesn’t say to be prepared in season and out to give the reason for the beliefs that you have. It says to be ready to tell about your hope! You are the master of your own story. No one else (except God) knows it better. And, there’s no debate. It’s your story. 

So, embrace this as another “No” from God. No, you don’t have to be a theologian. No, you don’t have to know the whole Bible inside out, backwards, and upside down. No, you don’t have to out debate anyone or convert anyone. 

All you have to do is listen to the Holy Spirit. Go where he tells you to go, even when the plan changes. Then, trust him with the results.

PRAY
Lord, open the hearts of the people I interact with today. And more importantly, keep my own heart open to whatever new thing you want to teach me. Amen