Tuned In
Have you ever had a vision? Have you felt pulled or called by God to do something you weren't planning to do?
They went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. When they had come opposite Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them; so, passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas. During the night Paul had a vision: there stood a man of Macedonia pleading with him and saying, ‘Come over to Macedonia and help us. When he had seen the vision, we immediately tried to cross over to Macedonia, being convinced that God had called us to proclaim the good news to them. 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. - Acts 16:6-15
In today's reading, Paul is traveling along the border between Europe and Asia, and is warned not to go into Asia by the Holy Spirit. Then he has a vision. A man calls out to him to ask him to come to Macedonia, a region in southeastern Europe.
Believing the vision if from God, he goes.
How does God speak to us?
Just as God sent a man to Paul in a vision or dream, I believe God sends us messages through others, people we may know and people we may not know.
Think about coincidences you may have had in life. Someone mentions something in passing and then someone else, totally unrelated brings up the same topic or suggestion. You know, they say, you would be good at this.
God finds a way to work through all of us to help one another, if we are open to work with God.
That's the key, I think. Paul was already working for God and walking with God's Spirit. He was tuned in to the right channel. So, he was open to getting messages directly.
We may need help, so God sends others to plant the seeds, and when the time is right, we hear His voice calling us.
So, in the crazy suggestions and comments of friends and strangers, we may hear the words that will inspire us later to act.
That's how God works with us, through us, and for us.
We just have to get tuned in.
More to come...