The Macedonian Call

30. November 2010 by Bernice Davis.

Hello:

We continue with the stories of Paul on his Missionary Journey.  Today he answers the “famous Macedonia” call.  If you hang out in church a lot, you may have heard that term.  Pastors usually mean it in a context of help.  This is its’ origin.

Here is our story:

Acts 16:6 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 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 named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, who 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.

What I love about this story is the call to Macedonia from God.  God strategically got into the mind of Paul so that he would change his plans and head to Macedonia when they get there and go to the common place of prayer, there is a woman there who is already a worshipper but evidently she did not know the gospel of Jesus Christ.  She heard Paul’s message and instantly responded and her and her household were baptized.

The importance of one.  This woman worshipped God but did not have the fullness of the God but had a love for God and God sent Paul to her.   I am convinced that as we worship God, no matter what we do and don’t understand, God will provide for us to encounter the truth.  Hold on…  Understanding and knowledge will come with a worshipping heart.

Stay encouraged everyone and don’t forget to pray and read God’s word daily.

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