The inspiration for the name of The Salvation Army’s annual women’s conference, Riverbank, comes from the powerful story of Lydia found in Acts 16:13-15. This woman of such great reputation, class and wealth had an amazing conversion story, and if she were to give her testimony today it would still inspire and encourage, especially women, in our faith.
Lydia was probably what we could call a polytheist, a Gentile from a faith tradition that worshipped more than one god. But she had come to know the beliefs and practices of the Jewish faith. She was from Thyatira in Asia, an area colonised by the Romans, and was a successful dealer in purple cloth. She was basically in the fashion industry and the CEO of her own successful business!
Purple dye was considered luxurious because it was rare and would not wash out when it was used. Of all the dyes, it had the most value and, in those days, it could cost more than gold! The dye was extracted from the root of the madder plant or from the glands of a shellfish. Lydia traded in purple fabric which was in high demand because it would have been used to make Roman toga.
It is possible that Lydia travelled to Philippi on business and on the Sabbath found herself on the banks of the river with a group of women who gathered there to pray. When Paul and Timothy arrived in Philippi, they went looking for the men who would be gathered at the synagogue. Jewish rules stated that if ten Jewish men lived in a locality, then they would build a synagogue. But Paul and Timothy couldn’t find the men. Instead, they found Lydia, which gave her the opportunity to hear for the first time about Jesus and the opportunity he brought for salvation.
Lydia’s response was to allow God to open her heart, to publicly declare her faith by being baptised, and then to invite Paul and Timothy into her home so that her household and family could hear the good news and be baptised too. This decision to become a follower of Jesus was a bold one. Christians were laughed at, punished, and even persecuted at this time, and yet she was convinced to commit her life to Christ. Perhaps Lydia had already been searching for the truth. God orchestrated the events of her life and Paul’s life so they could cross paths at the right time.
The account of Lydia brings inspiration and challenge. We might say, ‘What a woman!’ She wasn’t afraid to listen to something new, to respond to God, to share what she had learned and experienced and even face potential persecution. She may well have been the person that established the first Christian church in Europe. How amazing!
But this story of Lydia is not unique. God will orchestrate events so we can access what we need. He will present us with options, then he will step back and allow us to choose how to respond. God will part the Red Sea, but we must use our own feet to cross it. He will allow manna to fall, but we have to go out and pick it up. He will send the Holy Spirit, but we need to invite him into our lives.
God wants us to be in relationship with him, to meet with him, to put him first in our lives and not allow anything else to get in the way. The Bible tells us about so many people who encountered Jesus. Some, like Nicodemus and the rich young ruler in the Gospels, were unable to put aside their status or wealth to follow him. We pray that God will open our hearts to be more like Lydia, to believe in him and to follow his guiding throughout our lives. We pray we will find our own Riverbank, that space where we can encounter God and open our hearts to his leading.
