Acts 8:24-28: a reflection

24Simon answered, “Pray for me to the Lord, that none of the things which you have spoken happen to me.” 25They therefore, when they had testified and spoken the word of the Lord, returned to Jerusalem, and preached the Good News to many villages of the Samaritans. 26Then an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, “Arise, and go toward the south to the way that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza. This is a desert.” 27He arose and went; and behold, there was a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was over all her treasure, who had come to Jerusalem to worship. 28He was returning and sitting in his chariot, and was reading the prophet Isaiah.

On a desert road, Philip meets an Ethiopian official of great authority who had come a long way to worship, and who is now sitting in his chariot reading the prophet Isaiah. He was returning and sitting in his chariot, the account says, and was reading the prophet Isaiah. Here is a seeking heart: a man who had traveled far to worship, and who, on his journey home, was reading the Scriptures, hungry to understand. He did not read idly; he was seeking, searching the Scriptures for the God he longed to know. This is the picture of a seeking heart, one that hungers to understand God's word, that searches the Scriptures earnestly, that will travel far and read diligently in its longing to know God. God meets such seeking hearts; he sent Philip to this one, to help him understand. The heart that hungers to understand God's word, that seeks him earnestly, is one God does not leave unmet. To seek God earnestly, searching his word to understand him, is the mark of a hungry heart, and such a heart God meets.

Notice the seeking heart of this man: he had traveled far to worship, and was reading the Scriptures, hungry to understand. He was not indifferent to God, not casual in his seeking; he had come a long way to worship, and now, on his way home, he was searching the prophet Isaiah, longing to understand. This is a heart that hungers for God, that seeks him earnestly, that searches the Scriptures to know him better. And God did not leave this seeking heart unmet; he sent Philip to explain the Scripture and lead the man to Christ. This tells us something: God meets the heart that seeks him earnestly, that hungers to understand his word. The seeking heart is not left to search in vain; God comes to it, sends help, opens understanding. To seek God with a hungry heart, searching his word to understand, is not a fruitless thing; God meets such seeking. The earnest seeker, hungry to understand God's word, is one God draws near to and helps. God does not leave the hungry, seeking heart unmet.

That is worth taking to heart, for God meets the seeking heart that hungers to understand his word, and we do well to seek him so. We can read God's word idly, or seek him casually, without real hunger; but the Ethiopian had traveled far to worship and was searching the Scriptures, hungry to understand, and God met his seeking, sending Philip to help him. God draws near to the heart that seeks him earnestly, that hungers for his word. To seek God with a hungry heart, searching his word to understand, is met by God, not left in vain. Do not read God's word idly or seek him casually; seek him with a hungry heart, searching his word to understand, and trust that God meets such seeking, as he met the Ethiopian. Seek God with a hungry heart, searching his word earnestly to understand him, as the Ethiopian had traveled far to worship and was reading the prophet Isaiah, longing to understand, and God met his seeking by sending Philip to him; for God draws near to the heart that hungers to understand his word and seeks him earnestly, and such a seeking heart is not left to search in vain but is met by God, who sends help and opens understanding, so that to seek him with real hunger, searching his word, is not fruitless but met by the God who draws near to the seeking heart.

Lord, on a desert road, Philip meets an Ethiopian official of great authority who had come a long way to worship, and who is now sitting in his chariot reading the prophet Isaiah. He was returning and sitting in his chariot, the account says, and was reading the prophet Isaiah. Here is a seeking heart: a man who had traveled far to worship, and who, on his journey home, was reading the Scriptures, hungry to understand. He did not read idly; he was seeking, searching the Scriptures for the God he longed to know. This is the picture of a seeking heart, one that hungers to understand your word. You meet such seeking hearts; you sent Philip to this one, to help him understand. Show me the seeking heart of this man: he had traveled far to worship, and was reading the Scriptures, hungry to understand. He was not indifferent to you, not casual in his seeking; he had come a long way to worship, and now was searching the prophet Isaiah, longing to understand. This is a heart that hungers for you, that seeks you earnestly. And you did not leave this seeking heart unmet; you sent Philip to explain the Scripture and lead the man to Christ. This tells me something: you meet the heart that seeks you earnestly, that hungers to understand your word. The seeking heart is not left to search in vain. Take that to my heart, for you meet the seeking heart that hungers to understand your word, and I do well to seek you so. I can read your word idly, or seek you casually, without real hunger; but the Ethiopian had traveled far to worship and was searching the Scriptures, hungry to understand, and you met his seeking. Keep me from reading your word idly or seeking you casually; help me seek you with a hungry heart, Lord, searching your word to understand, and trust that you meet such seeking, as you met the Ethiopian by sending Philip to him.