A Road Through the Desert

The Story

Philip was in the middle of a revival. In the city of Samaria, crowds were listening to him preach about Jesus. People were being healed and set free, and there was great joy in that city.

Then an angel gave Philip a strange assignment: leave all this and go south to the desert road that runs from Jerusalem down to Gaza. No reason given. Just go.

Philip went. And on that lonely road, a chariot was rolling by. Inside sat an important official from Ethiopia, the treasurer of the queen of his country. He had traveled hundreds of miles to worship in Jerusalem, and now, on the long ride home, he was reading the prophet Isaiah out loud.

The Spirit told Philip, “Go near, and join thyself to this chariot.” Philip ran up beside it and heard what the man was reading. “Understandest thou what thou readest?” he asked.

“How can I, except some man should guide me?” the man answered. He invited Philip to climb up and sit with him.

He was reading about someone led “as a sheep to the slaughter.” “Of whom speaketh the prophet this?” he asked. And beginning with that very passage, Philip told him about Jesus.

As they rode along, they came to some water. “See, here is water,” the man said. “What doth hinder me to be baptized?” They stopped the chariot, and Philip baptized him right there. Then the man went on his way rejoicing.

Reflection