Daily Devotion, July 29, 2020

Devotion: Read Acts 16:9-15.

Comfort zones. We rarely like to move beyond our comfort zones. But God called Paul through a vision to move beyond his comfort zone. The calling came through a vision of a man of Macedonia pleading with Paul and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us".

God was calling Paul through this vision to go more than 600 miles beyond his comfort zone to present the gospel message of Jesus Christ to people he had never before met. He had to overcome rough geographical terrain and the barriers of the culture so that his message of God’s love through Christ could be received.

A global firm announced recently it is making Chattanooga its U.S. home. Their focus is on teaching international business teams how to navigate the barriers of geography and culture. Even in 2020, we have to be trained to overcome these barriers. Just imagine the cultural and geographical barriers over 2000 years ago! Only with the empowering help of the Holy Spirit was it possible then and now!

Lydia was also moved beyond her comfort zone. The second part of verse 14 says, “The Lord opened her heart to receive all that was said.” 

Dr. Ronald Cole-Turner says, “Lydia is able to see through the events on the surface to the deeper workings of God’s Spirit. She comes to worship because she is hungering for something more in life, something beyond the commercial success she has apparently achieved. She is hungering for more because that restless Spirit, who is surely in us all before we ever know it, has stirred up a holy longing in her soul. Every step of the way, the Spirit prompts and calls and blesses her and, through her, blesses us.”

As this year has been filled with more uncertainty than certainty, it has truly changed all of our “plans”. During Paul’s journeys his plans changed, too! But God was at work hearing the cries of the people to bring grace and salvation through Christ unto all the people of the world! Personal Worship Option:

Dear Lord, help me to be willing to move beyond my “comfort zones” to respond to the cries of the people who are hungry to know of your hope and saving grace. Open the hearts of the people to be receptive to hear your message of good news that Christ gave his life to give life unto us all. Amen.