Don’t be Afraid of the Detours
“During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, ‘Come over to Macedonia and help us.’ After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.”
Detours can be so disconcerting. And confusing. Especially when they arise in the midst of following our calling. It would be easy for these detours to take us down. To cause us to despair in our frustrated efforts. But, if we listen carefully, sometimes the detours lead to something even better.
This is the lesson we find in the story of Paul’s vision of the man from Macedonia. Paul’s path to this point had not been easy, nor was it straightforward. Prior to his vision, Paul had set out with his ministry companions for Asia. But Scripture tells us that the Holy Spirit would not allow them entrance. In fact, the Spirit had frustrated Paul at every turn. At one point, Paul became so sick that he had to go another away. And now, as he tried once more to head to Asia, the Spirit of Jesus said, “no.” Instead, giving him a vision, which called him to Macedonia. A place which was not Paul’s first choice. Or even his second. It might not even have been on the list at all. But Macedonia was where God wanted Paul to minister. So, he let go of his own plan and he went there without hesitation.
In this we can recognize two truths:
Sometimes disappointment and difficulty in ministry are divine detours. Meant to turn us in the direction God would have us go.
It is okay to change directions.
I don’t know about you, but these are truths I need to hear. My life has never been straightforward. And that’s always been a struggle for me. I’m decisive. I’m a planner. I’m analytical. I get things done. Twists and turns aren’t on my agenda. And so often God has had to bring me to a full and complete halt, closing doors where I very much wanted to find openings and leading me in a direction I had never even considered.
This online Bible study ministry – Kimberly Constant Ministries – is my vision from God. My man from Macedonia. A complete surprise. I had just moved to Florida. In the middle of the pandemic. Having left my job as associate pastor at a church I deeply loved. Not quite sure of what would come next, but confident that God was calling me in a different direction. A place that I had never imagined because I truly loved serving in the local church. An online world and a Bible study ministry that has already born so much fruit. It's been scary. And wonderful. Chaotic. And yet full of peace.
British preacher and Bible teacher George Campbell Morgan wrote:
“Whether it be that the individual life is filled with sorrows, or whether the perplexity of life is overwhelming, or whether the strife of national crisis is about us, God is in his heaven . . . and out of the chaos he is bringing the cosmos.”
Out of the chaos God is bringing the cosmos. As we say in the pastoring business, that will preach. What feels shocking. What seems abrupt. What appears to be in disarray. Sometimes can lead to something wonderful.
This certainly is true of Paul’s story. Obediently Paul and his cohort went to Macedonia. After a few stops they arrived in a Roman colony called Phillipi.
There Paul and his companions met not the Macedonian man of Paul’s vision, but a woman. Lydia. She was wealthy. A dealer in purple cloth, which was made using dye extracted from shellfish. It took thousands of these creatures to produce enough dye to create a single yard of purple cloth. So, it was rare and valuable. Lydia also had charge over her own household, leading scholars to believe that she was a widow.
Paul finds her gathered with some other women to pray. The Bible tells us she was a “worshipper of God.” This was a unique term given to people who were not fully Jewish, but also not pagans either. Often these people knew something of God and something of worship, but they had not been formally received into the Jewish faith. Lydia originally was from Thyatira where there was a strong Jewish community, and perhaps carried that faith with her to Philippi. The presence of Lydia and the other women, by the river, indicates that there was no synagogue in Philippi. The rules of Judaism dictated that to establish a synagogue there needed to be 10 men. In the absence of the proper quorum, people would gather at a place of prayer, usually located near a river.
The fact that Paul even spoke to Lydia and her friends is evidence of the transforming effect of his faith in Christ. When Paul was a Pharisee, he would never have addressed a congregation of only women. In fact, he might have prayed: “Oh God, I am thankful that I am neither Gentile, slave, nor female.” And yet now there was no trace of animosity. Rather a recognition of the equality to be found in Christ.
Neither did Paul seem to be disappointed by the small crowd that he found by that riverbank. Preachers, well we tend to love a crowd. But Paul was faithful to the seemingly small opportunity. He was there to help, not to gain applause. So, he sat down among the women and talked.
And that small opportunity broke wide open the kingdom of God.
For there, listening intently, Lydia’s heart was strangely warmed. So much so that she invited this stranger and his friends into her home. And her home became the church. The place where all believers in Philippi would gather to worship and pray and encourage one another. In fact, many scholars believe that Lydia was the pastor of this church. Its spiritual leader.
Lydia was Paul’s first convert in Europe. And hers was the first church.
And who the other inaugural members of the Philippian church? Scripture tells us a young slave girl who had been demon possessed. And a jailor and his family.
A woman. A slave. A Gentile. All the people with whom Paul would never have dreamed of interacting with in his former life. All in a place where Paul didn’t want to go initially. And yet Paul listened to God. And he went. And Lydia’s church in Philippi remained near and dear to Paul’s heart throughout his ministry. His letter to the Philippians is written to them.
In it he writes:
“I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” — Phil. 1:5
That’s the lesson of calling and response. If we listen closely, God will complete the good work that begins when we simply say, “Here I Am.”
But remember, it will take courage and conviction. Knowledge of God’s truth. A relationship with our Lord and Savior. And the willingness to go even when we can’t see but one step ahead of us. Even when the path looks like one of inevitable failure. Even when our obedience results in the disappointment or disgruntlement of others. Of ourselves.
Paul also wrote to the Philippians some of my most favorite words in Scripture:
“I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me . . . Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal.” — Phil. 3:12-14
So should we. Recognizing that the path might have twists and turns, Hard stops and rough terrain. New territory. But we can trust God to be with us every step of the way.
So don’t be afraid of the detours. Don’t get stuck mourning frustrated dreams. Be ready. Be listening. And go.
