"Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, 'This is the way, walk in it.' Whenever you turn to the right hand or whenever you turn to the left." Isaiah 30:21
Have you ever prayed for something and felt that nothing was changing, or maybe just have been unsure about what to do next?
The story in Acts 8 about Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch is a reminder that God orchestrates our life in ways we cannot understand.
Philip had been involved in quite a mission sharing the gospel, and the angel of the Lord told him to go down a desert road. In my life, mountain top experiences sometimes are followed by a valley that hits me like a brick. Maybe this desert road didn't seem like that to him, but it was a specific assignment that was different than where he was headed. It can be difficult to understand why the Lord sends us to unexpected places.
The eunuch is the one that gets me fired up. I wonder what he was thinking or praying before the Lord sent Philip. If maybe he asked God for help understanding the scriptures. I wonder if he asked God if his only purpose was being a eunuch, or if he asked the Lord to reveal His glory.
I love that with God there are no coincidences, so it is no surprise he was reading Isaiah 53:7-8 to give Philip a door to share about Jesus being the Messiah! I wish I had been in that chariot! Can you imagine the smile on the eunuchs face when he heard the scripture interpreted and the interpretation changed everything about his life! He couldn't get in the water fast enough to be baptized! He wanted everything Jesus had to offer and wasted no time leaving his past in the water.
When he came up out of the water "suddenly" the Lord took Philip and placed him in Azotus. The eunuch went on his WAY rejoicing. He was now on "the way" because he met Jesus- the Way, the Truth and the Life. l have not prayed for many "suddenly" moments in my life, but maybe I should start. What if Philip hadn't wanted to go down that desert road? What if the eunuch was too prideful to let Philip in the chariot to explain? The Lord hears our prayers, but he answers us unconventionally. It often doesn't happen like we think. Sometimes it's an adventure down a desert road, in a water hole we pass by, or a sudden relocation.
Father, as we journey on the way, please keep our eyes on You so that we don't miss our suddenly moments and we learn to trust You on our adventures! Amen!
Dig Deeper
Acts 8:26-40 | Isaiah 55:8