Why was Lydia the right woman?
A few points from v13-15 in the passage show us: • she was a woman of prayer • she listened and was eager to learn • she was a worshipper • she opened her heart • she was obedient to baptism • she confessed that she was a believer • she wanted to serve • she opened her home • she was hospitable Let’s look at each of these in more detail. • she was a woman of prayer – v 13 – she went to the place of prayer In Jewish law a synagogue could be formed wherever there were ten male heads of households who could be in regular attendance. Failing this, a place of prayer under the open sky and near a river or the sea was to be arranged. Apparently there was no synagogue in Philippi – Paul had already been there a few days – this explains why he and his companions went a little way out of the city to the river, where they expected to find a place of prayer. Open air prayer meetings – that’s quite a thought – how often do we get to prayer meetings, the most neglected meetings in the church? How of
