 Lydia
Lydia's story begins in the book of Acts where the Apostle Paul with Luke, Silas and others have come into Asia
and entered the city of Philippi on a mission trip. Acts 16: 13-15 13And on the sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont
to be made; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted thither. 14And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul. 15And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought us, saying, if ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained us. There not being a quorum of Jewish men in the city as prescribed by Jewish law those of faith would meet on the Sabbath by a riverside to give prayers and praise to God. Knowing this, Paul and his missionary team went down to the riverside to speak to those who had gathered there, it seems that mostly the women were the ones to gather.  We see she was already a worshipper of God and He opened her heart to understand the things of Christ which Paul was speaking about. After she and her household accepted Christ they were all baptized as was the custom to show as an act of obedience. She then offered her home to Paul and his team as a place to stay and begin the first church in Philippi. Many scholars believe she and her household were the first people Paul converted to Christianity in Asia. We don't find Lydia again until verse 40. 40And they went out of the prison, and entered into the house of Lydia: and when they had seen the brethren, they comforted them, and departed. Between verse 15 and 40 we find Paul and Silas had been beaten and thrown in prison then a great earthquake came which opened the doors of the prison and loosed the shackles from Paul and Silas. Paul then keeps the jailer from killing himself and finally converts him and his household to Christianity. The Bible doesn't tell us a lot about Lydia but by reading between the lines we can assume Lydia was a well respected woman of her day. She was intelligent and resourceful owning a large home and being greatly blessed by God. God used her to start the first Christian church of Philippi which Paul in his epistle to the Philippians, Chapter 4 verse 1 calls them "my joy and crown" and also "my dearly beloved." I believe there is just enough written about Lydia to show us today how God can and will use Godly women to further His kingdom. All it takes is faith and a willing heart to see God work miracles.  Lydia The Faithful As a seller of purple she will always be known There is so much more to remember of her deeds All the rich seek her and the cloth she doth own On the Sabbath you will find her on the river by the reeds For her life is so much more than cloth and dye She has heard her calling; there is a path to follow She has waited for so long but He will come by and by To give praise and prayer even when the cold winds blow Then they came to the river on a sunny day With hearts full of joy and a tale to tell They spoke of the Son and told us of the way God opened our hearts and all became clear as a bell The water was near, our obedience was required To die to the old and be raised to a life anew The Spirit was given and our hearts inspired To live for Christ now was the way we knew It all became clear; she knew the words that must be spoken God had blessed so greatly she made the offer If they did not come her heart would be broken They gladly agreed, for they could not offend her She happily gave her heart, resources and home A church was born where once there was none Now Christ could be honored where His own could come In Philippi of Macedonia now He would be known Most stories we know surely have an end But the blessed Lydia shall we recall with praise Whose love for God and the Son He did send Not just a seller of purple all of her days  Return To:
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