Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked. (Acts 8:30)
This past Christmas, my husband bought me a miniature model bookstore, and I spent many hours at the kitchen table putting it together. I loved how I only needed to follow the instructions and I would end up with something that approximated the beautiful picture on the box. My skills didn’t stretch to producing a perfect replica, mind you, but after several days I had a finished object that I was proud of.
Following instructions is not something humanity is very good at, myself included. We want to be in control, and we think we know what the best plan is for our lives. We ask ourselves, “Where should we go? What should we say when we get there?” Or, “What happens next?” We want everything to turn out the best it possibly can.
The Ethiopian had a lot of questions as well, but they didn't focus internally, but on understanding God's Word. Likewise, Philip must have had hopes and plans for his life, but those hopes and plans did not hinge on what he wanted for himself.
God welcomes our questions, but he doesn’t give us that ultimate control, no matter how much we want it. We have no guarantee that if we follow a certain set of instructions, our lives will be perfect. Our joy comes in our obedience, not in our worldly success.
Contentment does not depend on control!
Amy Elliot lives with her family in Ontario, Canada. Her husband is ordained in The Wesleyan Church.
© 2022 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.
