“One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul.” – Acts 16 14
Here we have a God-worshiping woman named Lydia. She apparently was a businesswoman in Thyatira and providentially abiding in the very place that the Christian leader, Paul, was going to pray on a particular day. Paul spoke the Gospel, Lydia was already inclined to worship Paul’s God but notice what was needed: a supernatural, sovereign opening of Lydia’s heart by the Lord so that she might want to & be able to grasp what Paul was teaching. There is no denying that the emphasis on this verse is that God had to do the lasting work. Paul taught, Lydia listened but God infused substance into the spiritual equation. Will this happen in the place where you worship today? It certainly can. It must.
Today in our gatherings in church buildings across the globe we will have countless prepared and capable teachers of God’s truth. There will be intelligent people listening to those teachers who lean strongly toward worshiping a God they have never seen with their eyes. Yet, apart from the presiding presence of the Holy Spirit, nothing lasting will occur. He is our Teacher, our Helper, our Comforter, our Convicter. He will bring to remembrance all the things which we have been taught while also empowering to learn those things which we have never known. Do not rely on yourself. Do not rely on the teacher. Place your heart before God and confess your need for Him to superintend all that happens in His glorious name today. I will spend most of my prayer time this morning asking God to open all hearts to His own voice and to grant wisdom, understanding and faith to those who will hear intentionally spoken words about Him, His salvation and His kingdom. Unless God speaks, we have done nothing but attend a class.
When we seek after this heart-opening – that power of the Gospel accompanied by the soul-opening power of the Holy Spirit – the Lord will access our hearts and minds to understand the precious truths taught to us by Him through others. Do not aim for anything less today.