Stay at my home

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My Soul Rests

One Hope Project

Today is Monday the 11th of May, in the sixth week of Easter.

One Hope Project sings, ‘My Soul Rests’. As you enter into prayer today, here in this moment, let your soul rest in the presence of the Lord.

Here in this mystery

Here in Your majesty

I find myself

With nothing to offer

Your love surrounds me

You give me yourself

My soul rests, my soul rests

In your embrace

My spirit sings, my spirit sings

All your praise

Here in your presence

The whole host of heaven

Bows down low

There’s no higher honour

No love that’s greater

You make us your own

You’re so close, Jesus, so close to me

Like the breath in my lungs

You’re so close, Jesus, so close to me

Like the breath in my lungs

2:57

Today’s reading is from the Acts of the Apostles.

Acts 16:11-15

We set sail from Troas and took a straight course to Samothrace, the following day to Neapolis, and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of the district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. We remained in this city for some days. On the sabbath day we went outside the gate by the river, where we supposed there was a place of prayer; and we sat down and spoke to the women who had gathered there. A certain woman named Lydia, a worshipper of God, was listening to us; she was from the city of Thyatira and a dealer in purple cloth. The Lord opened her heart to listen eagerly to what was said by Paul. When she and her household were baptized, she urged us, saying, ‘If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come and stay at my home.’ And she prevailed upon us.

4:45

Today we meet Lydia of Thyratira. Join the scene – step into it! You might like to sit down with the women gathered there by the river. Listen to the sounds you hear, the water, the different voices – what can you see? Perhaps Lydia has some purple cloth with her...what does the material feel like?

Draw your attention to Lydia. We hear she is a businesswoman. She’s also “a worshipper of God”. Perhaps her heart has been prepared and is already attentive to God’s voice. Is this a posture you have in your life at the moment?

“The Lord opened her heart to listen eagerly...” Notice that the Lord is the active person here in this moment of consolation for Lydia. We might say that she is moved by grace. As you listen again, pay attention to this movement of grace and see if you can recognise it in your own life in some way.

8:03

Acts 16:11-15

We set sail from Troas and took a straight course to Samothrace, the following day to Neapolis, and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of the district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. We remained in this city for some days. On the sabbath day we went outside the gate by the river, where we supposed there was a place of prayer; and we sat down and spoke to the women who had gathered there. A certain woman named Lydia, a worshipper of God, was listening to us; she was from the city of Thyatira and a dealer in purple cloth. The Lord opened her heart to listen eagerly to what was said by Paul. When she and her household were baptized, she urged us, saying, ‘If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come and stay at my home.’ And she prevailed upon us.

9:40

Lydia responds with a generous and immediate “yes” through baptism. A quick discernment! A fruit of this “yes” is her hospitality: ‘come and stay at my home’. As this time of prayer draws to a close, speak to the Lord as one friend to another about where you might let the fruit of hospitality grow in your life; an area where you could bless others.

11:44

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.

As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be

World without end

Amen