“Rise and go toward the south road.” Acts 8:26
Have you ever been in a place when everything was going really well only to get the sense God wants you to stop and start something different? Change is easy to make when you’re unhappy with your current circumstances but it is very difficult to make when everything is going well. We can justify that sense of change in these “good-seasons” as a distraction or an attempt to detour us from the good we are doing. What happens when you discover it is God who is calling you to make a change when everything is going well?
In Acts 8, Philip is facing this predicament. He is in Samaria proclaiming the news of Jesus’ resurrection. The Holy Spirit is working effectively through Philip as many Samaritans are making a decision to become a disciple of Jesus. Philip’s current success is met with no resistance. It’s what we call in ministry, “the sweet spot.”
Philip is given very vague instructions, “Rise and go toward the south road.” The south road was a desert road predominately used by long distance travelers. Those who took this road were traversing long distances for one reason or another. The prospect of Philip finding anyone to speak with on this road would have felt pretty unlikely compared to the multitude of people in Samaria.
We can be certain that if God is calling us to step out from where we are that he has already given thought and care to what we are leaving as much as to where we are going. By ignoring or justifying our resistance to God’s call, we will experience a decrease in our current effectiveness.
Success can be intoxicating. We may find that our current success may be more enticing than obedience. As followers of Jesus we must always remember that our success is God-ordained. Talent and ability alone does not guarantee success. Timing is crucial. God’s timing is perfect.
Philip’s obedience changed the life of the Ethiopian official for eternity. God is just as concerned with the individual as he is the masses. Obedience to God leads us to moments we could never replicate on our own.
Don’t miss out on what and where God is leading you for fear of the unknown. Be bold and obey God’s whisper to go to the place that seems deserted or out of sync with your timetable and experience the perfect will of God.
Life To The Fullest 