February 01, 2019: SOAP #3347:  Exodus 30-32; Acts 8

Scripture:  Acts (NIV) 8:26 Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” 27 So he started out, and on his way, he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians. This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, 28 and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the book of Isaiah the prophet. 29 The Spirit told Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.” 30 Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked. 31 “How can I,” he said, “unless someone explains it to me?” So, he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.

Observation:  Philip did not have time to prepare for this assignment.  He had no idea of what he would find.  He just went to the place he was sent.  He saw a man in a chariot.  He heard the Spirit telling him to go up to the chariot.  He found a man reading from the book of Isaiah.  God was already at work.  He started a conversation about what he was reading.  Philip had the key to what the eunuch was reading.  God sent Philip there because Philip could answer his questions.

Application:  When God sends me to a place, or I find myself in a place with no specific idea of what God might have me do, I need a plan.  If God has sent me, I believe I can be assured that God has arrived before me and is already at work in some way.  I need to look around to see what God is already doing.  Then I need to find a way to involve myself in what God is doing.  God has me there because I have something that is needed.  If something was needed that I do not have, God would have sent someone else!   An important key to discovering what God wants me to do is to see what God is already doing!

Prayer:   Holy Spirit, I trust your wisdom in placing me where what I have can be of benefit to others.  I trust you to bring into my focus what you are already doing.  I am confident that you will lead me today to where and how I can be useful.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!