The Importance of Obedience
Author Unknown
Obedience to the Holy Spirit (Acts 8:25-40)
Philip evangelizes an Ethiopian eunuch. Verse 30 shows Philip’s desire to obey the suggestions of the Holy Spirit. A thousand doubts may have occurred in his mind if he had reflected a little – after all, the Ethiopian was a stranger. But Philip obeyed without hesitation the monition of the Holy Spirit and he ran to the eunuch.
It is well to obey the first suggestions of the Holy Spirit, to yield to the clear indications of duty and to perform at once, especially in a deed of benevolence or in conversing with others on the subject of religion. Our first thoughts are commonly safest and best. If we do not follow them, the calculations of avarice, or fear, or some worldly prudence are apt to come in. We become alarmed and suppose that our conversation and admonitions will be unacceptable.
However, we shall find candid, humble, Christian conversation far more acceptable to strangers, to the rich, and to the great than we commonly suppose. If, as with the Ethiopian, they are alone, if we approach them kindly, if we do not rudely and harshly address them, we shall find most men willing to talk on the subject of religion. I can only recall two instances in which I was rudely treated, and in which it was not easy to gain a kind attention to Christian conversation.
The eunuch’s conversion brought Christianity into the power structure of a pagan government and began Christian witness to the “remotest part of the earth.” Obedience to the prompting of the Holy Spirit is a means by which God privileges men to be instruments in His extending of His salvation to the lost. The loss entailed with disobedience may often be incalculable. May we always run to the eunuch.
