Begin with 2 minutes of silence and stillness before God.

My family loves a good road trip – seeing new cities, eating local food, and learning the history. Though we all love taking trips, our methods of exploring new places usually differ. I love a good plan. I want to make the most of my time in the city and see as much as possible while reserving some time to relax at the end of the day. My kids also want to see as much as possible, though they don't always value rest as much as my husband and me. They are always asking us to change course and do something new and unexpected after every stop. “Can we get ice cream too? What if we didn’t go to that museum? Can we go to this beach instead?” They help keep things exciting, and honestly, some of our best memories have been made on these spontaneous side trips. What if I had clung to the schedule and my original idea of what the perfect trip would be? We would have missed out on so many wonderful places and experiences!

These detours remind me of Paul’s missionary journey in Acts 16. The Gospel was spreading across the region, Paul was on a mission to deliver the Good News to all people, and the fruit of that work could be seen through the strengthened faith and the growing number of believers. It only made sense to continue sharing the good news in that region as intended, but the Holy Spirit had something else planned! God straight-up forbid Paul from going to Asia. That had to be confusing, right? There was a plan! This was where things were supposed to happen! Then, Paul had a vision of a desperate Macedonian man begging for the gospel to be brought to him and his people in Europe. Paul couldn’t ignore the plea.

So, Paul changed course, obeyed the Holy Spirit, and went to Macedonia in Europe to share the Good News of Jesus. The next step of the NEW plan was to find a group of men meeting together for prayer. If there wasn’t a temple or a large population of Jews in a town, the river was typically where the Jewish men would gather for prayer. But when Paul went to the typical place by the river in Philippi, he couldn’t find Macedonian men to share the gospel with – there was only a group of women praying. This wasn’t who Paul was expecting! Where were the men?

Despite this unexpected audience, Paul was once again faithful to his calling – sharing the gospel of Christ. Among the ladies at the river was Lydia, who loved and worshiped God but hadn’t heard the message of salvation through Jesus. Acts 16 tells us that GOD opened Lydia’s heart. God did a work in her, and by His grace through her faith, she was saved! God used Paul’s obedience to save this person through a completely unexpected encounter.

Lydia, the very first Christian convert in Europe recorded in scripture, didn’t stop after hearing God’s message and accepting it for herself – she shared it with her whole family! Her entire household was baptized with her! Lydia’s faith and obedience to share the Good News with others was another ripple that would send a tidal wave of spiritual transformation around the entire world!

Through all of life’s unexpected turns, we as believers can trust God with the end results. He directs our steps, He orchestrates our meetings, and He changes hearts and lives. He simply wants us to follow His lead wherever it may go. Let go of your expectations of what your journey should look like, and don't miss the opportunities to step into His unexpected plans!

Take 2 minutes to reflect in silence.

Reflection:

• What is God leading you to next? Prayer with a hurting friend, conversation with a neighbor, sharing your story? Take time to ask God to open your eyes to unexpected opportunities to serve Him.
• Prayer: Father, thank you for showing up in unexpected places to save unexpected people. Lord, use me to step into new opportunities to love others and share Your truth. Guide me; I want to follow You wherever You may lead. Amen. 

Family Devo: Acts 16

By: Cody Smith

Today, let's explore Acts chapter 16 and learn about the life lessons God is wanting to teach us through the lives of early believers in Jesus. This chapter tells the story of Paul and Silas, who were imprisoned for sharing the good news of Jesus Christ. Let's jump in.

In Acts 16, we see that Paul and Silas were sharing the good news of Jesus Christ in the city of Philippi. But their message wasn't welcomed by everyone, and they were thrown into prison. While they were there, they prayed and sang hymns to God. Suddenly, a great earthquake shook the prison doors open and loosened their chains. The jailer was amazed and asked Paul and Silas what he needed to do to be saved. They told him to believe in Jesus, and he and his family were baptized.

The core message of Acts 16 is that God is always with us, even in difficult times. Paul and Silas were in prison, but they didn't give up or lose faith. Instead, they prayed and sang hymns to God, knowing that He was with them. And because of their faith, God showed His power and freed them from prison. Even the jailer and his family were saved because of their witness.

So, what can we do with this message? We can trust in God, even when things are difficult. Just like Paul and Silas, we can pray and sing praises to God, knowing that He is always with us. We can also share the good news of Jesus with others, just like they did. Even when we face opposition or difficulties, we can trust that God is working in and through us.

• Prayer: Lord, help us remember that You are always with us, even in difficult times. Help us trust in You and share Your love with others, no matter what comes our way. Amen.