An angel tells Philip what road to take and what direction to head in. He doesn’t get the whole plan; God just gets him moving. We don’t need to know the plan. If we do, then we tend to want to carry it out ourselves. If we don’t know, then we are looking to God.

We need His constant leading and guiding. We need His constant strength. We need His constant motivation of love. We need Him. Need Him. Rely on Him to move you in every way.

Philip gets another direction, to go to the chariot. He gets no direction to share the gospel. He knows that’s God’s will and he’s prepared.

God arranged the whole thing, including Philip’s preparation. The Ethiopian official is prepared for the moment, not just in being a worshiper and being there at that time, but at that moment he happened to be reading a prophecy about the Lamb who was slain.

How was Philip prepared? He was full of the Spirit and wisdom. He just has to open his mouth. His mouth, his life, was surrendered to the Lord’s purposes.

Part of Philip’s gospel message was about baptism. He preached baptism for the forgiveness of sins and the receiving of the Holy Spirit.

How do we know? Because the Ethiopian wants to get baptized. God has even arranged the water at just the right time. We were told they were in a desert place. But at just the moment when he was ready to be baptized, there’s water.

Philip had a job assigned to him, and he accomplished it. When it was done, the Lord moved him out.

Philip is translated, as we say, to another place. The Spirit picks him up and places him elsewhere. It’s like Jesus getting into the boat when He had been walking on water and immediately the boat finds itself on the shore. They hadn’t needed to row. Philip hadn’t needed to walk the desert road.

The work is part of the blessing, part of the plan. It’s asked of us because it’s needful for God’s purposes. Don’t seek the ease and comfort; seek God and ask His perfect will and ways be worked in and through you. Do the work. Receive the reward.