Weekend Glimpses of Grace: Day 25-26

+ Acts 16:13-15 On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered there. One of those listening was a woman from the city of Thyatira named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth. She was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message. When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home. “If you consider me a believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us.

This story of Lydia’s conversion touches my heart. Not because she overheard the disciples praying and converted. Not because she and several other women were baptized after hearing Paul’s message. But I love this scripture- because Lydia responds to her new found faith by opening up her home to other disciples. At Lindenwood, we are exploring our future vision. How can we continue to strengthen our faith and our community? Should we increase the time of our Sunday School hour? Should we add in a fellowship meal after worship? We try to come up with new ideas for enhancing our Sunday experience- but our new interim minister continues to remind us: We do not have to cram all our Christianity into Sunday morning. We shouldn’t focus entirely on the Sunday experience at Church. Instead, we need to shift our attention to Christianity as a way of life. Like Lydia, we should open our homes to one another- inviting each other in to our most personal and sacred spaces. We need to learn to act out our faith every day- not just on Sunday mornings. I am anxious to see what God can do in our community Monday through Saturday- if we are willing to make our faith a way of life. May we all find the renewed enthusiasm of Lydia in this faith journey.