The Book of Ecclesiastes makes the following observation which appears to be undeniably
true: “There is a season for everything and a time for every matter under heaven.” Part of
our spiritual journey involves the ability to discern what time it is. We often wish we were in
a different time—older or younger, richer, or healthier. Usually, there is very little anyone can do to change the season other than wait. I don’t know if the author of Ecclesiastes had a pandemic in mind when he wrote these words, but a pandemic is probably not excluded. Whatever time we are in, for certain it is a waiting time.
The question is: How do people of faith wait? In Romans 8:22-25, Paul observes: “We know that the whole creation is groaning together and suffering labor pains until now. And it’s not only the creation. We ourselves who have the Spirit as the first crop of harvest also groan inside as we wait to be adopted and for our bodies to be set free. We were saved in hope. If we see what we hope for, that isn’t hope. Who hopes for what they already see?
But if we hope for what we don’t see, we wait for it in patience.” Paul expands the insight brought by the authors of Ecclesiastes; this season is a season for waiting for something new that is arriving. We will wait in Christ’s hope which saves us and does not disappoint.
While waiting, take time to read Sunday’s Scripture:
Acts 8:26-40 New International Version (NIV)
Philip and the Ethiopian
26 Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” 27 So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian[a] eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of the Kandake (which means “queen of the Ethiopians”). This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, 28 and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the Book of Isaiah the prophet. 29 The Spirit told Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.”
30 Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked.
31 “How can I,” he said, “unless someone explains it to me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.
32 This is the passage of Scripture the eunuch was reading:
“He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he did not open his mouth. 33 In his humiliation he was deprived of justice. Who can speak of his descendants? For his life was taken from the earth.”[b]
34 The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?” 35 Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.
36 As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized?” [37] [c] 38 And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. 39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing. 40 Philip, however, appeared at Azotus and traveled about, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he reached Caesarea.
Your True Friend,
Kurt