Abide Devotion for January 26, 2015

Acts 16:4-15

⁴ As they traveled from town to town, they delivered the decisions reached by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem for the people to obey. ⁵ So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers.

⁶ Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. ⁷ When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. ⁸ So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. ⁹ During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” ¹⁰ After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.

¹¹ From Troas we put out to sea and sailed straight for Samothrace, and the next day we went on to Neapolis. ¹² From there we traveled to Philippi, a Roman colony and the leading city of that district of Macedonia. And we stayed there several days.

¹³ 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. ¹⁴ 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. ¹⁵ 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. ^[1]

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What’s striking in this passage is how explicitly Luke is giving credit to the Lord for the direction of Paul’s ministry. The Holy Spirit kept them out of the provinces of Asia and Bithynia. Instead they were given a vision to lead them to Macedonia. And once there, the Lord opened the heart of the Lydia, whose home would serve as their ministry base in Philippi.

Jesus instructed His followers to pray, “Thy Will be done.”   And He meant it. After all, we are called “followers” of Jesus, not independent agents. He is the leader of our lives, and we are to follow where He leads, go where He directs, and do what He bids.

Easier said than done. Not just from the standpoint that He might call us to things that are difficult, or in some cases, involve hardship and difficulty. But also from the standpoint of discerning His direction. Where are you leading me, Jesus, in this difficult ethical dilemma I’m facing at work? What is your will regarding limits and freedom for my teenage son? What is the best way to share my faith with my family when we gather this week? How can I cope with the financial challenges I’m facing? What is the proper balance between time with family and time at work?

This is a huge topic. Much larger than this devotion. And there is no one answer for all circumstances. But here are some general points that I try to keep in mind in seeking God’s guidance.

• Pray for guidance
• Expect an answer
• Be in the Word, reading for direction and guidance.
• Be in worship, honoring the God whose guidance you seek.
• Follow the Word. (If there are areas of my life where I’m living in willful disobedience, I need to repent. Why should I expect direction from the Spirit when I’m ignoring what’s plainly given?)
• Pray more.   Take your time in prayer. Don’t rush. Converse with God. Look for where your thoughts may be taken.
• Talk to other Christians. Discuss, pray and plan together.
• Watch the circumstances of your life, for doors opening and shutting. Change encounters with people that aren’t by chance. Coincidences which aren’t coincidences
• When you think you might discern what God wants to you do, go for it.
• Repeat

So my prayer today is simply that the Lord may lead and guide me, that He would show me what He would have me do and where He would have me go. May He direct you as well.

 

What is the Word leading you to pray about today?

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^[1] The New International Version. (2011). (Ac 16:1–15). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.