The Lord's angel said to Philip, “Go south along the desert road that leads from Jerusalem to Gaza.” So Philip left.
An important Ethiopian official happened to be going along that road in his chariot. He was the chief treasurer for Candace, the Queen of Ethiopia. The official had gone to Jerusalem to worship and was now on his way home. He was sitting in his chariot, reading the book of the prophet Isaiah.
The Spirit told Philip to catch up with the chariot. Philip ran up close and heard the man reading aloud from the book of Isaiah. Philip asked him, “Do you understand what you are reading?”
The official answered, “How can I understand unless someone helps me?” He then invited Philip to come up and sit beside him.
The man was reading the passage that said, “He was led like a sheep on its way to be killed. He was silent as a lamb whose wool is being cut off, and he did not say a word.
He was treated like a nobody and did not receive a fair trial. How can he have children, if his life is snatched away?”
The official said to Philip, “Tell me, was the prophet talking about himself or about someone else?” So Philip began at this place in the Scriptures and explained the good news about Jesus.
Acts 8:26-35
The Ethiopian official thought he was on the road back to Ethiopia, but in reality he was on the road that led to Jesus Christ! This man was seeking God and he traveled in a chariot all the way from Ethiopia to Israel in order to worship God. The journey would take many days at best.
An angel told Philip where to go, but did not tell him what to do until he got there!
I usually pray, "Lord tell me where to go and what to do!" But sometimes, the Lord just tells me where to go and I find out what to do when I get there. That keeps faith alive and well in your walk with Jesus.
When Phillip obeyed the Lord and went to the road that led from Jerusalem to Gaza, then the Spirit told him to run along side the chariot. Philip was about to see the Holy Spirit invade the life of the Ethiopian official, who then took the story of Jesus Christ back to a land where it still flourishes today!
The lesson for me is this: When God tells me to go to a place, I need not ask why! I need simply to obey when I hear the voice of the Lord. We have been deceived to think that in order to accomplish great things for the Lord we need lots of planning, education and money. God can use certainly those things but what He needs most of all is those who will obey Him without question! God knew that the heart of the Ethiopian official was ready to receive Jesus, and so He sent Philip to meet him on his journey! What an exciting adventure Philip was on as he walked with Jesus!
"Lord Jesus, tell me where to go today, and I trust that You will show me what to do when I get there! May You, Jesus be praised forever. Amen."
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