Acts 16:13-18: a reflection

13On the Sabbath day we went outside of the city by a riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer, and we sat down and spoke to the women who had come together. 14A certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, one who worshiped God, heard us. The Lord opened her heart to listen to the things which were spoken by Paul. 15When she and her household were baptized, she begged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house and stay.” So she persuaded us. 16As we were going to prayer, a certain girl having a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much gain by fortune telling. 17Following Paul and us, she cried out, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us a way of salvation!” 18She was doing this for many days. But Paul, becoming greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!” It came out that very hour.

By a river outside the city, Paul speaks the good news to a group of women gathered for prayer. Among them is Lydia, a businesswoman, a worshiper of God. She listens to Paul; and the text says something important about what happened: The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul. She heard the message, and the Lord opened her heart to receive it; and she and her household are baptized, and she opens her home in hospitality.

Notice how Lydia came to faith: the Lord opened her heart. Paul spoke the message, the human means; but it was the Lord who opened Lydia's heart to receive it, to pay attention, to believe. Her faith was not merely her own achievement, the result of Paul's persuasion alone; it was God's work in her, opening her heart to the truth. The word was spoken by a person, but the heart was opened by God.

That teaches us something about how faith comes, and how to pray for it. Faith is not produced by human persuasion alone; it comes as God opens the heart to receive the truth. This means that when we share the gospel, or when we long for our own hearts or the hearts of others to be opened to God, we depend not only on our words, but on God's work of opening hearts. Ask God to open hearts, your own and others', to receive his truth. When you share the gospel, do your part in speaking, but trust God to do what only he can: open the heart. And ask him to open your own heart more fully to his word. Faith comes as the Lord opens the heart; rely on him for that work, in yourself and in those you long to see come to him, as he opened Lydia's heart to believe.

Lord, when Paul spoke the good news to Lydia, the text says that you opened her heart to pay attention to what was said; her faith was not merely her own achievement, but your work in her, opening her heart to receive the truth. Teach me from that about how faith comes. Faith is not produced by human persuasion alone; it comes as you open the heart to receive the truth. When I share the gospel, or long for my own heart or the hearts of others to be opened to you, I depend not only on my words, but on your work of opening hearts. Help me ask you to open hearts, my own and others', to receive your truth. When I share the gospel, help me do my part in speaking, but trust you to do what only you can: open the heart. And help me ask you to open my own heart more fully to your word. Faith comes as you open the heart; I rely on you for that work, in myself and in those I long to see come to you, as you opened Lydia's heart to believe. Open hearts to yourself, Lord.