ACTS – The Acts of God
Why do we always have to know why before we do anything at all. It begins at an early age so this must be a natural phenomenon. Our parents told us to do something and our first thought was why. We grew up and gave our kids tasks to do and their first response was always a whiny why. As a first grade teacher I would the why before they asked and I still get the question, “but why?” Exasperating, isn’t it. WHY can’t people just do it without explanation? How God, Our Father in Heaven, must feel when we stop to ask why before doing what He asks us to do.
There are many through out the Bible who didn’t question, they just “got up and went”. Today’s great example is Philip, our passionate missionary, who drops everything to say yes to God.
Acts 8, The Message
The Ethiopian Eunuch
26-28 Later God’s angel spoke to Philip: “At noon today I want you to walk over to that desolate road that goes from Jerusalem down to Gaza.” He got up and went. He met an Ethiopian eunuch coming down the road. The eunuch had been on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem and was returning to Ethiopia, where he was minister in charge of all the finances of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians. He was riding in a chariot and reading the prophet Isaiah.
29-30 The Spirit told Philip, “Climb into the chariot.” Running up alongside, Philip heard the eunuch reading Isaiah and asked, “Do you understand what you’re reading?”
31-33 He answered, “How can I without some help?” and invited Philip into the chariot with him. The passage he was reading was this:
As a sheep led to slaughter,
and quiet as a lamb being sheared,
He was silent, saying nothing.
He was mocked and put down, never got a fair trial.
But who now can count his kin
since he’s been taken from the earth?
34-35 The eunuch said, “Tell me, who is the prophet talking about: himself or some other?” Philip grabbed his chance. Using this passage as his text, he preached Jesus to him.
36-39 As they continued down the road, they came to a stream of water. The eunuch said, “Here’s water. Why can’t I be baptized?” He ordered the chariot to stop. They both went down to the water, and Philip baptized him on the spot. When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of God suddenly took Philip off, and that was the last the eunuch saw of him. But he didn’t mind. He had what he’d come for and went on down the road as happy as he could be.
40 Philip showed up in Azotus and continued north, preaching the Message in all the villages along that route until he arrived at Caesarea.
What do we learn?
–Say yes to God!
–Preach Jesus…”grab” every chance given to us!
Randy and I have a few tasks that we planning to accomplish in Bolivia, but I must confess, there is a greater reason that we are going and I don’t know why…yet. God said go, so we are going. That’s all I need to know for now. That’s how God works in us and through us. Trust Him, He knows what He is doing!
Please join us in prayer as we prepare our hearts to do His will in His way by His Spirit here and in Santa Cruz, Bolivia.
Dear Heavenly Father,
We don’t always have to know why, do we, Lord? We trust in You. Continue to transform us making Your desires become our desires. We are listening…
In Jesus Name, Amen
