One of the things I love about the accounts of Paul’s mission journeys is the clear sense of divine providence at every step and with every turn. Let’s follow the path of providence in Acts 16. Paul takes a young man, Timothy, with him instead of Mark (so there was providence in the disagreement with Barnabas) and tries to enter two different regions in what is now Turkey, but somehow the Holy Spirit closed the doors on this plan. He then has a vision of a Macedonian man beckoning him, so he heads to Macedonia. Eventually, and this is the bit I love, this whole process leads Paul and his companions (now including Luke as implied in the ‘we’ statements) to meet one woman in Philippi called Lydia. All of that travel, and at times frustration (wondering where on earth God was leading them), led to one person. When they finally met Lydia we read that God was there preparing the way and opening her heart to receive their message (16:14). Lydia was a wealthy cloth merchant and would co-plant the church in that city which would meet in her own house. Paul may well have ignored Lydia and her friends, after all it was the Sabbath and he and his companions were in that place for a prayer meeting. But they were happy to put their plans aside to connect with these women. Paul didn’t navigate by ‘rules’ but by the Spirit and by love. That’s how you navigate through God’s providence. Stay in tune with the Holy Spirit and always put people first.
Ask God to make you more sensitive to his leading.
Read Acts 16:1-15
