Devotional text: Acts 8:26-31 (NIV)

Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza. So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians. This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the book of Isaiah the prophet. The Spirit told Philip, “Go and stay near it.”Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet.” Do you understand what you are reading?’ Philip asked. “How can I, “he said, “Unless someone explains it to me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.

Dear Friends

Isaiah 55:8 teaches us that God’s thoughts and his way isn’t necessary our thoughts, however just by reading it, it doesn’t seem to make sense since our lives speaks of a total different reality. In reading an event like this one it becomes clear to us what Isaiah met by these words. A young man named Philip is on his way to Jerusalem, the center of religious thoughts and ways and since he was a man who was on fire for Christ, according to his understanding this was the place to be if he wanted to make an impact and contribute to contemporary religious discussions. However while being on his way, God’s Spirit send him back into the direction that he was coming from with a new order. His order to remain with a chariot and to keep close to it. During this time of staying close to the chariot, Philip heard familiar words as the eunuch reads from the book of Isaiah aloud.

As the eunuch realize that Philip is following the chariot, the eunuch stops his chariot and it is during this encounter that Philip asks him whether he understands what he is reading. The eunuch replied that he doesn’t just as some of us might be reading something that we wish someone would explain to us. Even though Philip wanted to change people’s perspective on religious issues, he now had the chance to do that in a very special way, on the street on a one to one basis although the purpose of this change in direction was still unknown to him. After explaining what passage from Isaiah 53:7, 8 meant, the eunuch requested from Philip that he is to be baptised, which Philip did. Philip’s explanation of this text, through God’s Spirit developed this need of the eunuch to enter into a closer relationship with God and for him this could be achieved through the sacrament of baptism.

Philip might have felt as if this request from the Holy Spirit was a demotion, since he couldn’t be among the great religious thinkers like Peter and Paul, but for this man he became the these two prominent people, since he led this eunuch into a relationship with God, one of the highest calls if not the highest call that can be fulfilled in every person’s life. Without noticing it perhaps at that moment, his wishes and dreams of leading people to God became a reality, different than he could ever imagine and yet that was so fulfilling to him.

Although Philip knew that what he must do over against what he wanted to do, he knew that it would require of him to step out in faith trusting the leading hand of the Spirit to fulfil his desire, while not seeing it as a demotion rather to realize that God wants to promote him. In order for this to happen, he needed to become sensitive to the workings of the Holy Spirit in his life. Our ways and thoughts isn’t the same than God’s ways and thoughts and we should thank Him for that, since through His guidance and leadership we soon will see the doors that He is opening for us. Doors that will ultimately lead to fulfilment and satisfaction way beyond our wildest dreams. Something’s might thus seem to us as a setback, however God already knows why we had to experience that set back, because in reality the things that we experience isn’t setbacks, but opportunities that shows itself as being a form of a setback.

Because Philip even though in difficult circumstances obeyed God, Philip could experience the fruit of being willing to step out in faith, going against his own desires as well as his own plans, which for many of us is extremely difficult since it means going into a uncertain area of our lives, one that we haven’t got any control over and which requires patience and faith, sometimes the faith of others to help us in finding the way forward. The eunuch never thought that in his hour of need that God would provide for him a person who actually understands the things that he couldn’t although he was a high official in the treasury of a queen, while Philip couldn’t imagine that he would be able to influence not only the thought but also the heart of a prominent political figure of his time. A person who is willing to receive his message (his opinion) through the interpretation of a text, which he himself wasn’t able to solve.   

Thus Philip experienced God’s calling in a different way and thus if he could experienced it in such a way why wouldn’t it happen to us as well. This becomes apparent especially at times where he brings people on our paths to help us to understand the situation that life brings us in contact with when we ourselves do not know where we are heading, people that minister to us which we need and therefore even we receive counsel from people which is on a long term basis while there may be times when they leave us as soon as we understand the role and the mission which God wants us to embark upon. May you be blessed through the ministry of others who shed light in your moments where you do not understand the ways and the thoughts of God. May His spirit reveal it to your heart through the times when you encounter Him through the sharing of someone else.

Amen