19.08 | Stories
Acts 16:1-15
‘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. And after she was baptized, and her household as well, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” And she prevailed upon us.’
Acts 16:14-15
My wife, Lydia, loves an airport lounge.
She loves it because she loves travel, and lives with a hankering for adventure. She loves it because she loves good coffee and big windows. She loves it because, as a missionary kid, the unfamiliarity of new places is somehow familiar to her. And she loves it because it makes for really good people watching.
When I’m in an airport lounge, my head is likely in a book. When Lydia is in an airport lounge, she’s enjoying the massive diversity of people that go past. Every person a different story—their clothes, footwear, hairstyles, tattoos, interactions with their travelling companions, and all of it, combining to give little insights to the details of their lives. People that she’ll probably never see again, and yet those brief moments in the airport lounge creating a momentary overlap of lives before everybody jets off in different directions.
Today’s reading in Acts is like this. It’s a little window into how individuals stories were interrupted by the person and message of Jesus of Nazareth.
People like Paul and Silas—who left Antioch on what history will describe as Paul’s second missionary journey. They take to the road, knowing nothing more than that they will visit those young churches in Derbe, Lystra, Iconium and Pisidian Antioch that Paul and Barnabas had previously planted. Their steps are monitored and refined by the Spirit—forbidding and stopping them from moving into Asia too soon (Paul will go there on his third missionary journey), and leading them further out and further west than they’ve been before, into Macedonia and beyond.
People like Timothy, brought up in Lystra, with a Greek dad and a Jewish mum. Paul sees such potential in this young leader as a missionary and leader, that he has him circumcised, to enable him to minister into Jewish synagogues across Europe, in lands as yet unvisited. Paul would later leave Timothy as the young leader of the significant church in Ephesus, sending him the two letters that we have later in the New Testament. Timothy is young and timid, but finds himself drawn into the adventure of new lands and the young church of Ephesus.
People like Luke, who wrote both a Gospel and this book of Acts, and yet only appears in today’s passage in the subtlest way—as the pronouns switch from ‘they’ to ‘we’, Luke seemingly joining the missionary journey at Troas,1 his life as a trained doctor transformed to joining the adventures of God as a missionary, historian, and author.
And people like Lydia—an entrepreneur in the city of Philippi. She has travelled to Philippi from across the sea—her home town being Thyatira. She is found by the river by Paul and Silas, and the Spirit opens her to the message of Jesus. Her successful business paves the way for her opening her (likely large) home to host the new house church for this city.
Stories. Backgrounds included and redeemed, purpose mobilised, some being sent, some staying. All so unique, and all united by the interruptive message of Jesus—realigning their lives under the nature and direction of His Lordship.
I think if Paul had sat in an airport lounge, he’d also have looked around, surveying the people over his coffee, so as to see the stories of those passing by. He’d have had his spiritual eyes open, and his heart ready—seeing in those passing faces and weathered bags stories ripe for the interrupting work of God, unto sending and staying, realigned in the love and purposes of the Father.
Reflect:
How do I see the stories of those I pass by every day?
What might they look like if they were met by the interrupting truths of God?
Am I willing to be His agent of interruption today?
Pray:
Spirit of Jesus,
Lead me:
Lead me to places familiar
And to places that are new;
Lead me to love old friends greatly,
And to be open to new meetings.
Lead me to listen deeply,
And to speak courageously.
Lead me to those whose hearts are ready
To be opened to the truths of Jesus.
Lead me away from places that are not for me,
Or not yet for me.
Spirit of Jesus,
Lead me:
Lead me to see each story as you do—
Not set and established,
But ripe with potential for Gospel interruption,
That Pharisees may become apostles,
And the young may lead churches,
And doctors may become authors,
And entrepreneurs may host your presence.
Spirit of Jesus,
Lead me:
That in this life
Those stories that I touch
May be led to You.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen
Old Testament:
For those also reading the Old Testament this year, your additional readings are here:
Lamentations 3 | Psalm 102:1-17
Acts 16:9
Lydia and I would travel well together! 😃