I confess, I have been there.

Tuesday 10-18-2016  Martínez, Argentina

Today we read: Job 3 – 4  and  Acts 8 - 9

S.  Acts 8:26-29 As for Philip, an angel of the Lord said to him, "Go south down the desert road that runs from Jerusalem to Gaza." So he did, and he met the treasurer of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under the queen of Ethiopia. The eunuch had gone to Jerusalem to worship, and he was now returning. Seated in his carriage, he was reading aloud from the book of the prophet Isaiah. The Holy Spirit said to Philip, "Go over and walk along beside the carriage." NLT

O.  Obviously Deacon Phil was in constant communication with His Master, listening for the voice of God and ready to run at a moment’s notice. This time God used an angel, probably invisible to him. His message was clear and God’s servant took off heading south.  He knew his basic destination, but nothing more. Timing was everything. God had arranged a meeting with a spiritually hungry man… a man who was in a position of great authority and would doubtless affect many others.

A. I confess I have been there.  And after being led miraculously to that spiritually hungry man and seeing him respond so quickly to God’s Word, as I sped away I was weeping with joy.  But then I started weeping with grief, saying to myself… “How many times have I failed to listen to that still, small voice of the Spirit, coaxing me to stop here… and take some of my “valuable time” to reach another spiritually starved soul?” 

P. I sing, “Speak, my Lord”… and then when You do, You find me not listening, but busy on my petty project.  Please, God, forgive me and give that man, woman, youth or child another chance.  And teach me to respond rapidly to Your voice, treating Your gentle instruction as my top-priority command. Amen.

Ralph