“He said, ‘I will cause all My goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim the name Yahweh before you. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion'” (Exodus 33:19, HCSB).
God spoke these words to Moses in response to his request that God show Himself–His glory–to Moses. Moses made this request because he was concerned that Israel’s standing with God was in question.
“God, You have taught me from my youth, and I still proclaim Your wonderful works. Even when I am old and gray, God, do not abandon me. Then I will proclaim Your power to another generation, Your strength to all who are to come” (Psalm 71:17-18, HCSB)
WANTED: MATURE PEOPLE FOR YOUTH MINISTRY!
That’s the message contained in these verses. The Psalmist exclaims that God needs him for youth ministry even though he is an old man.
“So those who were scattered went on their way preaching the message of good news. Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah to them. The crowds paid attention with one mind to what Philip said, as they heard and saw the signs he was performing. For unclean spirits, crying out with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed, and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed. So there was great joy in that city” (Acts 8:4-8, HCSB).
Because of the persecution of the church in Jerusalem, the believers were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.
Among those who were scattered was Philip, who went to a city in Samaria. Philip proclaimed to the people in that city that Jesus was the Messiah and performed many miracles among them and many people believed his message and were baptized.
The church in Jerusalem had become a megachurch and was adding new members faster than they could count. It seemed that just when things were going great and church growth was exploding, a great wave of persecution targeting these Jewish Christians caused them to scatter throughout the region.
What seemed to be a great success story had now become a tome of tragedy!
But, had this extensive persecution never been perpetrated against the Jerusalem Christians, who knows when they would have got around to fulfilling Jesus’s great commission to “be My witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (vs. 1:8).
God sends each of us on a mission for Him. But sometimes where God is sending us and what He wants us to do when we get there is, perhaps, beyond the boundaries of our respective comfort zones.
God’s plans and will for us may be located outside the box…of our own plans and wills.
Sometimes it becomes necessary for God to nudge, push, or even shove us out of our comfort zones through bad circumstances. Then, our discomfort helps us escape from our own zone of comfort!
In driving us from our comfort zone, it may be that God is sending us to do something quite different than what we planned to do, or even thought we were capable of doing.
That was certainly the case with Philip. Philip was appointed to help administer the daily food distribution in the church in Jerusalem. But in Samaria Philip was conducting a full-blown preaching-healing-deliverance ministry!
God advanced Philip from a behind-the-scenes administrative role to front-line ministry!
So, what is God sending you to do?
Accept His call, even if it requires you to escape from the comfort zone of your everyday existence.
“Immediately they left their nets and followed Him…Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed Him” (Matthew 4:20,22, HCSB).
When Jesus called His first disciples–Peter, Andrew, James, and John–Matthew says they actually left what they were doing at the very moment when Jesus issued the invitation to follow Him.
They did it expeditiously!
They acted with urgency!
They left and followed without hesitation!
They didn’t think about it, analyze it, make comparisons, or check references. They just seized the opportunity as if it were a once-in-a-lifetime offer (and it probably was).
Before the occasion of their calling, it’s possible they knew about Jesus or even personally knew Him. After all, Jesus had moved from the obscure village of Nazareth to the bustling fishing town of Capernaum to launch His ministry. (vs. 13,17).
These men may have heard Jesus preach and teach and seen Him heal the sick on several occasions.
So, when Jesus summoned them to become His disciples, they jumped at the chance.
They all immediately left what they were doing and joined Him.
When Jesus beckons, what great possibilities await!
But don’t suppose that His requests are subject to our internal review or personal schedule.
As His disciples let us respond with immediacy to His behests.
Let’s go, without hesitation!
Steve's Bible Meditations 