Step by Step

Step By Step
Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, “Arise and go toward the south along the road which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is desert. —Acts 8: 26
God was doing a great work in Samaria. Through Philip, multitudes came to the Lord. Many were healed of demons. The lame and the paralyzed were healed. But one day, the angel of the Lord told Philip to leave Samaria and head toward the desert. That seems like an illogical move. Why would God ask him to leave a place of such tremendous work and go to a desert area, where there was likely no one around? Philip must have wondered what was in God’s mind. But Scripture gives us no indication that he questioned God. Instead, Philip obeyed.
**God wants us to walk by faith, so He doesn’t explain His entire plan to us at once.
Philip only knew to go, so go he went. Along the road, he encountered a chariot, whose passenger was reading the book of Isaiah. The Holy Spirit told Philip to go near and overtake the chariot, so Philip did so. And once he began talking with the Ethiopian in the chariot, Philip began to understand why God had led him into the desert. The traveler Philip encountered was on a search for God, and Philip was privileged to share Jesus with him.
God leads us step by step, one move of obedience and trust upon another. We don’t have to have the whole picture at once. We just have to take the steps He asks us to take.
Trust Him. It will all be clear later.
Father, help us to follow You and trust what You are doing in our lives. Even when so many stand in our way. So often I want to take the reigns back but I trust your plan and your calling. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Action item: Prayerfully consider; What have you been called to do? Are you obedient to follow thru with that calling -regardless of the cost? Do you realize the assignments God has handed you? This will only be important in light of eternity. Ask Him for an eternal perspective.