Page 20 - January 2025 - Truth & Tidings

An Open Door vision of a Macedonian man pleading with
Although Lydia is only mentioned him for help. They took this as a sign from
God and sailed for Europe.
briefly in Scripture, her story is a won-
derful testimony to God’s grace. It also Even though Paul was an apostle, he still
marks an important moment in Christian knew what it was to live by faith. Some-
times the Holy Spirit guided him forward
history, when the gospel began to advance by just a single step, and he had to trust
into Europe. She was one of the first souls God with the unknown future. Sometimes
Paul saw saved as he began to preach the he faced a closed door, but he didn’t let
gospel there. it discourage him. Instead, he turned in
When Paul embarked on his second a new direction and kept pressing on for
missionary journey, he didn’t intend to Christ. When the door to Asia closed,
visit Europe at all. Instead, he planned to he turned northward. When the door to
travel with Silas through the regions he Bithynia closed, he turned westward. But
had previously visited on his first trip (Act when the door to Macedonia opened, he
15:36,41). As chapter 16 begins, we find went through it without hesitation, for the
them near the town of Lystra, hundreds glory of God.
of miles from Philippi. The last time Paul
was in this area, an angry mob stoned him An Open Heart
and left him for dead. Nevertheless, God After Paul and his companions landed
blessed his preaching and many souls in Neapolis, they made their way up
were saved. Now one of those believers, to Philippi. It was the main city of that
a young man named Timothy, joined him region and a Roman colony; many of its
on his journey. It was the start of a lifelong residents were Roman citizens (16:12,21).
partnership in the gospel. On the Sabbath day, Paul and his friends
After traveling through Phrygia and left the city and went down to the river,
Galatia, they came to the border of Asia, where they met a group of women who
but the Holy Spirit forbade them to preach had gathered to pray. They sat down and
there. So, they turned north and traveled shared the gospel with them, just like the
up towards Bithynia, but again God shut Savior did with the Samaritan woman at
the door. Now their only path forward Sychar’s well.
was westward, so they headed on to the Lydia was one of the women there
seaport of Troas. While there, Paul had a that day. She originally came from Thy-

20 TRUTH kTidings January 2025