January 15, 2012

Acts 8:26-40 (Click to see scripture)

Bible in One Year Passages:
Matthew 5:43-48, Psalm 12, Genesis 24

Journal Entry

Scripture

26 Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Rise and go toward the south[a] to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is a desert place. 27 And he rose and went. And there was an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure. He had come to Jerusalem to worship 28 and was returning, seated in his chariot, and he was reading the prophet Isaiah. 29 And the Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and join this chariot.”

Observation

Philip encountered the Angel of the Lord and was given specific instruction to go to a desert place. Without hesitation and without question Philip just got up and went not knowing what he would find or whom he would meet. Out of simple faith he stopped whatever he was doing and left for the desert. In the desert Phillip meets a eunuch who was in charge of the treasures to the Queen of Ethiopia.

Application

I’m amazed at the simple faith of Philip. The Angel of the Lord appears to Phillip asking him to go to the desert in faith. Without a flinch he goes and trusts the Angel’s instruction implicitly. Knowing my own selfish desires of wanting comfort and assurance, I would have asked a lot of questions like why on earth do I have to go to the desert? Philip’s trust in the Lord and his Angles, like Paul and Abraham before him, are the answer to how I ought to respond to God’s calling. In the simplest way God just wants me to trust him implicitly so that I may experience and participate in the full power of God’s divine work. But in my sinfulness of not trusting Him completely I deprive myself from experience God’s works

Prayer

Lord when you call, give me the power to trust you like Philip. If your say go to the desert help me to go. If you say go the ocean then help to go. Overcome my sinfulness and selfish desires in order that I may experience you fully by my faith and trusting in you. Amen

--David P