Hi everyone! We are in the final week of Daughters of Grace and I have so enjoyed this study. Today we are going to read about Lydia. Open your Bibles to Acts 16:11-40.
We meet Lydia from the city of Thyatira and we are told that she is a seller of purple goods. Why do you think it was important for us to know that? So purple is many things-
- Purple represents royalty, wisdom, and spirituality in the Bible.
- It symbolizes Jesus Christ’s kingship and luxurious wealth.
- Gideon and Mordecai were given purple garments for their leadership roles.
- Purple holds strong ties to the priesthood and is used in sacred garments.
- The color embodies the regal and spiritual aspects of the Bible.
That’s not all, we are also told that Lydia was a worshipper of God and that He opened her heart to pay attention to what Paul was teaching.
This woman was baptized and so was her household. She even said to Paul and Silas “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” And she prevailed upon us”. Lydia was a woman of faith and because of her faith, her household also came to know the Lord. Do you proclaim your faith this way? I was recently placed in a conversation where I had a choice- to either hide my faith, let the person make their joke, and move on, or, despite their joke, tell them that God’s love, grace, and mercy are enough. I almost chose the first option, but thankfully I didn’t. God is not to be hidden, and the Holy Spirit convicted me. I am so thankful for that. I chose my faith. I chose to share the Gospel, despite the negative conversation.
- What did we learn about God and His character in the life of Lydia?
- What character qualities, positive or negative, do we see in Lydia’s life?
- What can I learn from Lydia’s story and apply it to my own life?
We are no different from the women we’ve read about. We face the same challenges, the same pain, and the same basic questions. Sometimes we are laughed at for our faith, but are we going to allow that behavior to stop us from sharing the most incredible person we will ever meet?! God has done too much in my life for me to sit quietly on the sidelines and say nothing about Him. It is my job as a disciple, to share the good news!
I hope you enjoy this study and decide to come back. Tomorrow is the last day of this study- we’ll read about Priscilla and see how God moved in her life. I hope you enjoy the beautiful sunset that was made by our loving Father and y’all have a wonderful night