Acts 16:1-15

1 Paul went first to Derbe and then to Lystra, where there was a young disciple named Timothy. His mother was a Jewish believer, but his father was a Greek. 2 Timothy was well thought of by the believers[a] in Lystra and Iconium, 3so Paul wanted him to join them on their journey. In deference to the Jews of the area, he arranged for Timothy to be circumcised before they left, for everyone knew that his father was a Greek. 4 Then they went from town to town, instructing the believers to follow the decisions made by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem. 5 So the churches were strengthened in their faith and grew larger every day.
A Call from Macedonia 6 Next Paul and Silas traveled through the area of Phrygia and Galatia, because the Holy Spirit had prevented them from preaching the word in the province of Asia at that time. 7 Then coming to the borders of Mysia, they headed north for the province of Bithynia,[b] but again the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them to go there. 8 So instead, they went on through Mysia to the seaport of Troas. 9 That night Paul had a vision: A man from Macedonia in northern Greece was standing there, pleading with him, "Come over to Macedonia and help us!" 10 So we© decided to leave for Macedonia at once, having concluded that God was calling us to preach the Good News there.
Lydia of Philippi Believes in Jesus 11 We boarded a boat at Troas and sailed straight across to the island of Samothrace, and the next day we landed at Neapolis. 12 From there we reached Philippi, a major city of that district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. And we stayed there several days. 13 On the Sabbath we went a little way outside the city to a riverbank, where we thought people would be meeting for prayer, and we sat down to speak with some women who had gathered there. 14 One of them was Lydia from Thyatira, a merchant of expensive purple cloth, who worshiped God. As she listened to us, the Lord opened her heart, and she accepted what Paul was saying. 15 She was baptized along with other members of her household, and she asked us to be her guests. "If you agree that I am a true believer in the Lord," she said, "come and stay at my home." And she urged us until we agreed.

Devotion (by Mikey Skoglund):
I like to read about Paul’s journeys and the things that he accomplished for the Lord. This passage makes me think about the call on Paul’s life and how he would have visions and had extreme boldness to do what God asked of him. In verse 9, Paul has a vision to go to Macedonia, so he just picks up and heads to Macedonia. Sometimes when I read these passages of Paul’s travels and other accounts of Christians going near and far to spread the gospel, I feel like I’m not doing much here in central Indiana. But then I think again to the vision that Paul had to go to Macedonia, and I think ‘God has called me to be here in Indiana, and that’s where I need to be to spread His good news to the people around me.’
As much as I long to be adventurous at times and as much as I believe that there’s people that are supposed to go ‘to the ends of the earth’ to proclaim the Gospel, I feel like at this time in my life I’m where God has called me to be. Have you prayed lately about where God has called you to be? Sometimes, like in Paul’s case in this passage, God will tell us to pick up and go somewhere else to share His love with people, and sometimes God wants you just where you are. The point is, even when reading some accounts in the Bible of Christians going to faraway places or traveling all over to spread God’s love to others, its important to remember that they were just being obedient to what God wanted them to do. So I’m challenged by this passage to seek God’s wisdom and direction in my life to make sure that what I’m doing right here in Muncie, Indiana is pleasing to Him and is in accordance to His will.

Prayer: Lord, please give me direction and vision for my life like You did with Paul when you told him to go to Macedonia. Lord, I seek Your will for my life and ask that You would give me the strength and boldness to be obedient to You. Thank You for Your love and forgiveness in my life.
Amen.