Clear Directions for the Journey

 

Now man angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Rise and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is a desert place. 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 and was returning, seated in his chariot, and he was reading the prophet Isaiah. And the Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and join this chariot.” So Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” (Acts 8:26-31 ESV).

 

My sense of direction can often be suspect. I’ve been “lost” on more than one occasion while wandering the woods. The good news in those situations is that I always managed to find a fence or road to get me back on track. Perhaps this is the reason I’ve only managed to take the “quiet walkways” in the Smokies. They are beautiful, easy paths through the forests that provide a sense of getting off the heavily traveled roads of the area. Much of the time in my personal journey through life has been marked by clear directions. I enjoy those times, though I wonder if I may have missed some incredible experiences by staying too close to the trail.

 

Our reading today gives us an example of someone who was on the well-marked path, but still “lost.” Philip had instructions on where to go. An angel of the Lord told Philip to go south to the desert road leading from Jerusalem to Gaza. There Philip met an Ethiopian official who was returning home from Jerusalem. It must have been a very familiar path for the eunuch. The Spirit then led Philip to stay near the man and to help him understand a passage he was reading from Isaiah. Philip explained that the passage was about Jesus, the Son of God, who came to die for our sin, and then Philip baptized the Ethiopian, just as the man asked him to do.

 

Through his Spirit and the Word, the Lord still commands us everyday. God calls us to walk in his ways, loving the Lord with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and loving our neighbors as ourselves. Does God speak to us in other ways, such as the way he spoke to Philip? God certainly can speak to us in dramatic ways, but more often the Spirit of God speaks to us in quiet, subtle ways through his Word and with the help of other believers (like Philip). We should always be following God’s Word and listening for his voice, especially as he nudges us to share the love of Jesus.