In Acts 8, Philip, one of the seven deacons of Jerusalem and an evangelist, was charged to head toward Gaza from Jerusalem by the Holy Spirit for a divine appointment. He met an Ethiopian eunuch reading a prophecy about Jesus in Isaiah. This opened the door for Philip to preach Jesus to him in which the eunuch received Christ and was immediately baptized. After this encounter something extraordinary takes place. It is a part of scripture that has always intrigued me:
"Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more; and he went on his way rejoicing. But Philip was found at Azotus." - Acts 8:39-40
So, instantly Philip went from a road to Gaza to Azotus, which is now Ashdod, a city that sits near the Mediterranean Sea. Ashdod is about 34 miles west of Jerusalem and 23 miles north of Gaza. In an instant, from coming up out of the water, Philip was now miles away from the Ethiopian.
This is the power of God. No special affects needed. Philip was beamed from one place to another long before the popular phrase, "Beam me up Scotty," from Star Trek. I love this passage because it makes me completely aware of a few things: 1. I have absolutely no control but, God has it all; 2. God IS all powerful and; 3. Those who are faithful to hear and obey His voice get to see and experience His awesomeness. It also makes me wonder how many miracles I have missed out on.
Obedience is better than sacrifice because in essence sacrifice is happening when in the act of obedience. You may have to sacrifice time, money, positive thoughts of others about you, a career, home etc. When God calls He has something so great in store for us. So, listen and dive into the divine. On the other side of your obedience is a blessing for another and a supernatural surprise for you.
No comments:
Post a Comment