There’s a couple of applications I got from studying this
verse and its context. The verse says, “But an angel of the Lord spoke to
Philip saying, ‘Arise and go south to the road that descends from Jerusalem to
Gaza (this is a deserted road)’”
I usually ask the question, “What does this verse/passage
indicate I should do in my world?” We have to be careful to not take the (true)
stories of the Bible’s history books, but sometimes there’s an example to
follow. In this case this story is another example of the Holy Spirit directing
Philip to further ministry. Philip was probably content, even excited, to be
part of the Christian experience and explosion in Samaria. Things were
happening there. It was an exciting place to be and there were lots of people
becoming Christ-followers. Who wouldn’t want to be in on that excitement and
celebration!
However, Philip was still open to the Spirit’s leading. And
the Spirit (called in this passage “the angel of the Lord”) told Philip to leave
the party, leave the ministry in Samaria to someone else, and go somewhere
else. That somewhere else probably didn’t make a lot of sense to Philip. The
Spirit told Philip to go to a deserted road where there were few, if any,
people hanging around. But Philip did what he was led/told to do.
The application for me is three-fold. First, am I listening
for the Spirit of the Lord? Sometimes when I’m reading the Word of God I will
be pricked to do something. It’s not often but I think it probably happens more
than I think and I’m just not listening. I need to pray before reading, during
reading, and after reading for God’s guidance in my life.
Second, am I willing to do what the Holy Spirit tells me to
do? Philip left immediately for the Gaza road. I need to be as obedient as that
. . . taking action immediately. I’m not talking about leaving to go on a
mission around the world (or even across the state). I’m talking about doing
the things God has told us to do in His Word. I can’t just read about proper
thinking and meditating (Philippians 4:8 – whatever is true, honorable, right,
pure, lovely, good repute, excellence . . . let your mind dwell on these
things), I have to train myself to turn my thoughts to those kinds of things
instead of all the negative thoughts I, naturally in my sinful nature, tend to
think about. There are many other things that are clearly the will of God as
explained in Scripture that I need to be doing something about.
Third, am I willing to do what the Holy Spirit tells me to
do even if it doesn’t seem to make sense to me? Philip was told to go to a
deserted road. Presumably there would be no people there and Philip would be
all alone. What I need to remember is that God has a purpose for us doing,
thinking, going to the things and places He directs us. When Philip got to the
desert road, there was a God-fearing man from Ethiopia who needed to hear the
whole truth about Jesus. God may be sending us out to reach one person or a
multitude. Our job is to take the next step in obeying Him, be all-in, and wait
expectantly for God’s purpose to show up.
No comments:
Post a Comment