“The Lord opened her heart” (Acts 16:14)

Lydia listened to the preaching of the apostle Paul, and what he said made sense to her, because the Lord opened her heart to heed what Paul said. This is not a unique case. This is the normal process. Christ said, “no one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him” (John 6:44).

Lydia was from Thyatira, but just at the right time, she was in Philippi to hear Paul. Providence, the handmaid of grace, led her to the right spot. Grace also prepared her soul for the blessing - grace prepares for grace. She didn’t know the Savior, but as a Jew, knew many truths which were stepping-stones to a knowledge of Christ.

Her conversion took place in the use of the means. On the Sabbath, she went to a place where devout Jews prayed, and her prayer for salvation was answered. Never neglect the means of grace; God can bless you when you’re alone with Him, but you have a much greater likelihood of being blessed among saints.

“The Lord opened her heart” means she didn’t open her own heart. Her prayers didn’t open her heart and Paul didn’t do it either. The Lord Himself opened her heart to receive the Gospel. He alone prepared it, and at the right time, regenerated it.

The first outward evidence that God had given her a new heart, was her obedience to the Word of God. As soon as Lydia believed in Jesus, she was baptized. It’s a sweet sign of a humble and broken heart, when the child of God is willing to obey a command which isn’t essential to his salvation, which isn’t forced upon him by a selfish fear of condemnation, but is a simple act of obedience and of communion with his Master.

The next evidence was love, manifesting itself in acts of grateful kindness to the apostles. Love to the saints is a mark of the true convert. Those who’ve never done anything for Christ or His church, need to question their salvation.