Then the Spirit said to Philip, “Go up and join this chariot.” (Acts 8:29 NAS95)
Pentecost means more than an annual date in the church calendar. It points to a new reality of God’s leadership among His people, responsive to His voice and desires. I love this story and Philip’s responsiveness to the Spirit’s involvement in his life. First an angel shows up and Philip goes on a long journey. Then the Spirit says, “go talk to this guy in a chariot.” Upon arrival, Philip discovers God already at work, and so he learns the Spirit and the Father walk in lock-step with the desire for the glorification of the Son, whom Philip had the responsibility to clearly reveal to the eunuch. And Philip does exactly that, he shares with the Ethiopian eunuch the truth of Jesus, the promised Messiah.
Whether Philip observed the Ethiopian reading the Scripture first or whether the Spirit directed his attention to the eunuch makes little difference. In the end, Philip recognized the voice of the Spirit and the desire of God. He wanted the Ethiopian to meet His Son, Jesus. Philip responded to the Spirit in obedience and the fruit produced a new Jesus-follower. The Ethiopian eunuch’s life reflects a quiet responsiveness to God along the way before meeting Philip. Afterwards, the clarity Philip brought regarding Jesus spoke loud, so the Ethiopian was immediately baptized in response to the Spirit’s work. Philip had a familiarity with the Spirit's work in his life. This example inspires me to listen deeply and learn how to consistently respond to the Spirit’s promptings. After all, Pentecost has occurred, and a life of learning to respond to the Spirit calls us to a normal Christianity, following as Jesus showed us. Philip’s story encourages me to deepen my listening to the Spirit’s leading and surrender to God’s love and plan at each step along the way.
For Reflection:
“How blessed are the people who know the joyful sound! O LORD, they walk in the light of Your countenance.” (Psalms 89:15 NAS95)
- What do you think about a real, felt, and interactive involvement of the Spirit in your life? How aware are you of His overtures to you?
- What experiences in your past give you clarity and confidence as to how the Spirit interacts with you?
