Sept 22, 2025 Just Like Us

Just Like Us 

“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. 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. She and her household were baptized, 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.” 

Acts of the Apostles 16:13-15 NLT 

I was flipping through a children’s Bible the other day and realized how much I empathized with the struggles of the people in those pages. People waiting on God to guide them, feeling disappointed by God, feeling uncertain of next steps, people who had failed God, people who have been unkind to those around them. It’s funny that the Bible is full of people who have the same struggles that we do in or whose lives feel so similar to ours. It is like God isn’t surprised by the things we do! Like he created humanity and knows our hearts! And He loves us no matter what.  

In Acts, we see Lydia. She has a woman who is trying to go to church while also having a full-time job, and God had given her a spirit of hospitality. She loved to have people over and open up her home. Maybe she was an extrovert who enjoyed talking or maybe she was an introvert who wanted to be cooking in the background. And by this river, during an outdoor church service, her heart was opened. Just like us today. God can open up our hearts to see new things in his word and in our lives. 

Reflect: What character in the Bible do you empathize with? What situations that we see people are going through in the Bible remind you of things in your life? 

Pray: God, open up our hearts like you opened up Lydia’s to learn new things. Help us to see ourselves in your bible. Encourage us that you love us too. Amen.  

May you feel God’s presence with you, 

Sarah Visser-KincaidMy First paragraph with bold text.