Day 23: Miraculous Motivations

Tuesday

Adapted from Acts 8.26-29 Dear Lord, when we read of an Angel telling Philip to, “Get up and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza,” we pause. Angels are difficult for us to understand. Nevertheless, Philip obeys this Angel and travels down a wilderness road where he meets an Ethiopian eunuch, who is a court official of the Candace, queen of the Ethiopians. We learn that this eunuch is in charge of the queen’s entire treasury. He came to Jerusalem to worship and now was returning home. He was seated in his chariot reading the prophet Isaiah when the Spirit said to Philip, “Go over to this chariot and join it.” Please help us to understand how we can learn from Philip how to respond to the promptings of Your Most Holy Spirit.

Philip obviously trusts the Angel’s directions when he walks down that wilderness-road. The Scripture we will examine tomorrow will describe how his meeting with an Ethiopian eunuch expands the reach of the Gospel to all the ends of the earth. However, before we go there, I want us to wrestle with what it means to follow the promptings of the Holy Spirit that can lead us down a wilderness-road.

In the beginning of Chapter 8, the crowds were listening eagerly to Philip. They were rejoicing as he drove out unclean spirits, and as he healed those who were paralyzed or lame. Philip was comfortable doing his part—however, he stepped aside easily when Peter and John came in to expose Simon, the magician. There are many Philips in God’s economy. People who do their part—who respond without hesitancy to the promptings of the Holy Spirit, who bring hope and healing without any need to be compensated, and who step aside when need be. Can you think of people who, in your life’s experience, have responded to The Holy Spirit as Philip did? Have you ever been called to do this? How did you respond?

Recap Prayer: Dear Lord, your servant Philip trusted Your Holy Spirit to lead him. Help us to listen to Your Holy Spirit seeking to discover how our unique gifts can be used to bless Your Creation on earth as in heaven. Amen.