Living in 3D:
Run Don’t Walk – Part 1

Scripture Reading:  Acts 8:26-39

Key Verse: Acts 8:30

Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked.

Our additional scripture reading section tells the story of Philip and the Ethiopian official.  It is a story of salvation—one man sharing the Good News with another.  As we read the book of Acts, we certainly can see that God does not use a “cookie-cutter” approach to drawing people to Himself.  Every person is unique and special in God’s view and He works in them according to their unique personality, but this story gives us a few guidelines in being used of God to help another person come to faith.

            First, please note that God initiated this entire event and opportunity.  Philip did not create or manipulate the situation.  In verse 26 it was the “angel of the Lord” that started the chain of events that led to the Ethiopian’s salvation.  It is important for us to remember that we must stay desperately dependent on the Spirit of God in these matters.  God must initiate and create the opportunities for us to walk through.  If we don’t stay sensitive to the Spirit’s leading, we can do more harm than good.

            Secondly, when the Spirit nudges us, we must simply obey.  It may or may not make sense to us.  It might not be a person that we have been thinking about or praying for.  It wasn’t with Philip.  God is at work in people’s lives and he may tap us on the shoulder to be a tool in His hand in contacting that person.  We must not be too focused on how things might turn out.  We must trust and obey as the Spirit leads!

Father, I am willing to be used by you when you see fit.  Help me to hear and sense your nudges in my life.  I will obey.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.