May 16

"And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us, whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul." — Acts 16:11.

THE conversion of Lydia may be further viewed in

ITS NATURE. "Whose heart the Lord opened." Observe

What sin has done. It has shut the heart against God. He knocks at the door of our hearts in various ways, by the voice of conscience, the sound of the Gospel, and the dispensations of Providence; and yet we regard him not, and are unwilling to open to him till arrested by his grace, and effectually called by his Spirit.

What grace does. It opens the heart. This gives us a delightful and interesting view of conversion. Its seat is the heart—and its extent is intimated by the opening of the heart. The ear may be opened to listen to the Gospel, and the mouth to speak of it, while the heart is not opened to embrace it. In conversion, the understanding is opened to receive the truth, the affections are opened to love it, the will is opened to obey it, the memory is opened to retain it, and the lips are opened to confess it.

ITS AUTHOR. "The Lord." The work is ascribed to him whose power enables, and whose pity constrains him to do it. Ministers may open their Divine commission, but they cannot open the hearts of their hearers to receive it. We could as easily create a world as convert a soul.

ITS EFFECTS. "She attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul." What a beautiful gradation there is throughout the little history of this saint! She came, she heard, she believed, she worshipped; her heart was opened, and her attention was secured. The word here translated "attended unto," is very forcible in the original, and signifies to apply and take heed to. The way to hear the word to profit, is to listen to it with self-application and prayer.