Text: Acts 16:5-16
Prayer Pointers:
That the Holy Spirit would guide you in your life
For a blessed encounter with the Lord Jesus
To discover God’s purpose or goal for you
That the Lord would call men and women to church vocations
THIS BRIEF SYNOPSIS that proceeds how Paul met Lydia and her household is jam-packed with tantalizing details. Why the switch in names between Holy Spirit and Spirit of Jesus? How can you tell if a dream/vision is from God? What does it mean to have a calling from God through the Spirit? Why the switch from “they” to “we”?
We will be with Paul in Philippi for the next few days, so this is a good chance to talk about how people experience a calling from God. The core of this story is that Paul, Silas and company are on the road and choosing their path on the basis of the Lord’s direction and calling.
It is important to recognize that a calling in your life begins with an encounter with the Risen Christ, who gives a purpose or goal to you to serve others, that you might tell, show, or otherwise give witness to his glory. In our world, it is easy to confuse our hopes and dreams with what our Lord wants for us. We expect God to bless what we want to do, rather than ask God to shift our wants to what God is planning to bless.
The Lord calls us to walk with him that we might be ambassadors, representatives, bearers of his grace. It is important to remember that it is not only pastors or church workers who have a calling; the call comes to each of us in the waters of baptism. Each of us has or will have an encounter, be given a purpose that puts us in a position to serve, and interact with others so that we might give witness.
May your day be grace-filled ~ Pr. Dave Brooks