Evangelical Lutheran Diocese of North America

Saturday within the Octave of the Feast of the Holy Trinity

Posted on June 18, 2022 by Pastor Dulas under Devotions
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Scripture: Acts 16:9-15 (NKJV)
 
16:9 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night. A man of Macedonia stood and pleaded with him, saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” 10 Now after he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go to Macedonia, concluding that the Lord had called us to preach the gospel to them
 
11 Therefore, sailing from Troas, we ran a straight course to Samothrace, and the next day came to Neapolis, 12 and from there to Philippi, which is the foremost city of that part of Macedonia, a colony. And we were staying in that city for some days. 13 And on the Sabbath day we went out of the city to the riverside, where prayer was customarily made; and we sat down and spoke to the women who met there. 14 Now a certain woman named Lydia heard us. She was a seller of purple from the city of Thyatira, who worshiped God. The Lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul. 15 And when she and her household were baptized, she begged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” So she persuaded us.
 
Devotion
 
The Lord opened Lydia’s heart to give heed to the things Paul said. Without the Lord opening her heart, Paul’s gospel would have gone in one ear and out the other. But God opens the woman’s heart and implants His Word, creates faith, and brings forth faith’s fruits in lodging Paul and his companions. Lydia reminds us that we cannot, by our own reason or strength, believe in Jesus Christ our Lord, or come to Him, but that God the Holy Ghost calls us by the Gospel, enlightens us with His gifts, sanctifies and keeps us in the true faith. He opens the door of our hearts through the preaching of His Word, the testimony of the Holy Spirit. “This Word man is indeed to hear; however, it is not by his own powers, but only through the grace and working of the Holy Ghost that he can yield faith to it and accept it” (Formula of Concord, Epitome II.19).
 
Christ says in Revelation 3:20, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.” He knocks on the door of our hearts through His Word. The Holy Spirit gives us new hearts and wills by which we open the door to Him.
 
Prayer: Almighty and Everlasting God, Who hast given unto us, Thy servants, grace, by the confession of a true faith, to acknowledge the glory of the Eternal Trinity, and in the power of the Divine Majesty to worship the Unity: we beseech Thee, that Thou wouldest keep us steadfast in this faith, and evermore defend us from all adversities; Who livest and reignest, one God, world without end. Amen.
 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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