Day 16: Open Hearts

VERSE: “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. 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.” Acts 16:13-14 (NIV)

DEVOTIONAL: When I attended U of H (go Coogs!), I used to frequent a local basketball court. One day, I was having a really bad day and just kept shooting shots for hours. Eventually, a guy I didn’t care for walked in and began giving me a hard time. While I was trying to focus on shooting, he kept trying to ask me if I was okay. Finally, I stopped and looked at him and said, “Do you really want to know if I’m okay?” And he said, “Yes, I do.” So, I shared with him how I’d felt like I’d let God down.

He wasn’t a Christian. Most of the time, he would speak negatively about girls and pretty much everything else, so I tried to avoid him. But as I shared my struggle, he began to ask questions about God. Within minutes he asked me how he could accept Jesus as his Lord and Savior; God opened his heart! It was amazing! I was going through a rough time, but God used it for good. The following week, Michael began attending church with me and even started volunteering.

When God wants to open a person’s heart to the Gospel, we just need to be obedient and allow Him to use us even if we don’t feel like it. It’s reassuring to know that our job is simply to give the invitation and allow the Holy Spirit to do His work. This Easter, as you pray for your ONEs, ask God to give you the courage to invite them to church and for their hearts to be open.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, help our ONEs’ hearts to be ready to hear and receive your Gospel. Help me to have the courage to invite them to church. Thank You for using me to grow Your kingdom. In Jesus’ name, amen.