I think I met “Lydia” yesterday.  “My eight-year-old son has special needs, mom is not a believer, and my twin sister is not a believer.  I am the only believer in my family.”

Modern-day Lydia, yes, I believe God orchestrated this time shared.

“Lydia” and I met over email as she accepted alert emails about certain students who are struggling.

“Lydia” and I met face-to-face during a book talk.

I wondered why God would compel me to attend a book talk on campus, one that keeps on campus longer and one that gave me more to do, more to read, and more to fill my Thursday.

Yesterday, “Lydia” revealed why I was there.

First, we must meet the first Lydia in the Bible, and after that encounter what caused Paul and Silas to be cast into prison.  SEE WITH ME.

“A woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple fabrics, a worshiper of God, was listening;  and the Lord opened her heart to respond to the things spoken by Paul.

And when she and her household had been baptized, she urged us, saying, “if you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house and stay.

And she prevailed upon us”

(Acts 16: 14-15)

Since 2015, I have been drawn to this re-telling of the first convert in Europe.

What would the world look like if this “Lydia” had never heard, had never believed, and had never received Christ in her heart?

In reading the biblical account of Paul and Silas, we see that this first conversion led to an encounter with a slave girl who was filled with a fortune-telling spirit, one that caused men to profit off her ability to read the future.  A gift no doubt but still a gift utilized for man’s good rather than God’s glory.  So Paul and Silas leave Lydia’s home and encounter this slave girl on the road, as they went.  AS THEY WENT.

There are some remarkable things to note in this telling of these missionaries who encountered this slave girl “as they went from Lydia’s house” and “as they traveled to the “place of prayer.”

This slave girl realized the presence of the Holy Spirit of God.

This slave girl called out “These men are bond-servants of the Most High God, who are proclaiming to you the way of salvation” (Acts 16: 17).

This slave girl continued this calling, this following, this pattern for many days.

This slave girl annoyed Paul and Silas, as they went through their days.

This slave girl was a providential meeting orchestrated by God.

This slave girl lost her ability to foretell the future and received the salvation of Jesus Christ.

This slave girl suddenly lost her ability to make money for her masters, and that did not set well.

This slave girl’s conversion led to the arrest, the beating, and the imprisonment of Paul and Silas.

Paul and Silas would never have met the jailer IF they had not been arrested.

Paul and Silas may never have met this girl possessed with the spirit of divination IF they had not encountered “Lydia,” the seller of purple.

Those living in Europe may have never been converted to Christianity IF not for Lydia’s belief.

The jailer and his household would never have met Jesus Christ IF these missionary-men had not been following the will of God.

This slave girl would not have been healed of her spirit of divination IF she had not encountered Paul and Silas that day.

One single day.

One day’s journey.

In one day—

1. The slave girl was impacted.
2. The slave girl’s owners were impacted.
3. The magistrates were impacted.
4. The crowd watching was impacted.
5. The jailer taxed with guarding these missionaries was impacted.
6. The jailer’s family was impacted.
7. The officers serving under the jailer were impacted.
8. The other prisoners were impacted.

Never do we know how our words, how our actions, how our reactions—impact this lost world.

Every moment lived for Christ can make a mark on someone’s life.

Every moment.

May we begin—today—living in our moments.

May we begin—today—living for Jesus, walking within God’s will.

I think I met a modern-day “Lydia” yesterday.  “My mom is not a believer, and my twin sister is not a believer.  I am the only believer in my family,” Sarah said as we sat together talking after our book talk time ended.

We need to plant ourselves in the sacred soil of Christian community.

We need to walk within the temple of God.

We need to remember who dwells within us.

We need to be ever ready for the “Lydias” God gives us to meet as we go throughout our days.

As we do, God orchestrates our moments.

As we do, God orchestrates our opportunities to share our testimonies.

As we do, God speaks to those who remain caught, “imprisoned” in their lostness.

As we do, God saves souls.

As we do, the kingdom of God increases.

Today, may we not fear where God leads us to go.

May we not fear the losing of our lives.

May we, instead, fear when we DO NOT DO the will of our LORD.

“But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them; . . .”

(Acts 16: 25)