Acts 8:26-31 - Responding to God's leading

Scripture:

 

Acts 8:26-31

26 But an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip saying, "Get up and go south to the road that descends from Jerusalem to Gaza." (This is a desert road.)

 

27 So he got up and went; and there was an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure; and he had come to Jerusalem to worship,

28 and he was returning and sitting in his chariot, and was reading the prophet Isaiah.

 

29 Then the Spirit said to Philip, "Go up and join this chariot."

 

30 Philip ran up and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and said, "Do you understand what you are reading?"

31 And he said, "Well, how could I, unless someone guides me?" And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.
NASU

 

 

Thoughts:

 

There are some really great things in this passage, but just focusing on one thing, you see the submissive attitude of Philip.  Philip had been experiencing very fruitful ministry.

 

Acts 8:6-7

6 The crowds with one accord were giving attention to what was said by Philip, as they heard and saw the signs which he was performing.

 

7 For in the case of many who had unclean spirits, they were coming out of them shouting with a loud voice; and many who had been paralyzed and lame were healed.

NASU

 

Yet, he now needed to go to the next place of ministry the Lord had for Him (verse 26).

 

Philip's response to the Lord's command is wonderful, "So he got up and went" (verse 27a). 

 

This sounds so simple, but how difficult this can be!  When we find ourselves in a place of ministry or in life that is exciting or just comfortable, we really don't want the Lord to give us a change of direction.  We convince ourselves, the Lord would never direct us to leave that place and go to a place of uncertainty for us.

 

But clearly, as with Philip, the Lord has things in mind that we may know nothing about.  Philip left one place of ministry to reach another the Lord had prepared for him (verses 29-31).

 

 

Prayer:

 

Lord, I pray my heart would be so fixed on You, that I would respond as Philip did to Your leading.  Not letting comfort, fear, or the opinions of others hold me from Your will. 

 

Let me just walk with You, today.  May I experience Your presence in all that I face. 

 

Amen

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB.