Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.”
Acts 8:26 NIV
Philip was in the midst of a revival in Samaria. And great numbers of people were coming to the Lord. It was an exciting time and Philip was being greatly used by the Lord there. But, in the midst of it all, Philip was instructed to leave Samaria. To leave when the revival was going strong. And to go out to the desert, a multi-day journey away. Sometimes God’s call does not make sense to us.
I can imagine the struggle I would have gone through if God called me to go to Samiria instead of Philip. Who wants to leave a place or ministry where God is so obviously at work and is using you. And then to go off into the desert where nothing is happening or is likely to happen? But Philip obeyed and God arranged for his encounter with an Ethiopian man who was seeking. As a result of Philip’s teaching, he became a believer and took the gospel back home with him.
Respond to God’s Call
Never be afraid to respond to God’s call in your life, whether to a new place or new ministry. You never know what he has in store for you. But if you are faithful to his call, you can be assured that he has a purpose and will use you wherever he leads.
