“so, passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas. During the night Paul had a vision: there stood a man of Macedonia pleading with him and saying, ‘Come over to Macedonia and help us.’ When he had seen the vision, we immediately tried to cross over to Macedonia, being convinced that God had called us to proclaim the good news to them.  We set sail from Troas and took a straight course to Samothrace, the following day to Neapolis, and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of the district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. We remained in this city for some days. On the sabbath day we went outside the gate by the river, where we supposed there was a place of prayer; and we sat down and spoke to the women who had gathered there. 1 certain woman named Lydia, a worshipper of God, was listening to us; she was from the city of Thyatira and a dealer in purple cloth. The Lord opened her heart to listen eagerly to what was said by Paul.”  (Acts 16:9-14)  I don’t know about you, but when I have someplace to go, I like to get there.  In my present work, I spend quite a bit of time on the road and I do not like diversions or detours.  As I said, when I’m going some place I want to get there, using the most direct route possible.   And yet I have discovered over the years that it is in the deviation from my plans, that Christ is often at work.  That certainly seems the case with the Apostle.  Wanting to get to Asia, he was diverted to Macedonia.  And being diverted to Macedonia he encountered a woman named Lydia at the women’s prayer and Bible Study down by the river.  Lydia was a searcher, a “worshipper of God” which meant she no longer felt at home in her paganism but she was not a Jew either.  And so the Lord diverts the Apostle from his well thought through itinerary in order to find her.  The searcher was being sought by Jesus and would be found that day.  Diversions and detours, I do not like them but I am convinced of this: had it not been for the willingness of others to be diverted from their plans, I do not think that I would have been found by Jesus either (or at least in the way that it happened).  How about you?  How about me?  Are we willing to be diverted from our very good plans and ideas in order to encounter a world still filled with Lydias; a world full of searching people who need to know that they are most certainly being sought by a Lord who loves them?