I’m sort of surprised about the timetable for Philip’s journey. God commands him to get up and depart about noon. It reminds me of Robbie O’ Connell, an Irish musician who lives in the U.S., when he went back to Ireland to chase down some authentic folk songs that hadn’t yet been recorded. Since his journey meant going to lots of pubs to hear the local performers play, he said: “It’s a very difficult task, ya’ know. First, ya’ haf ta’ get up very early in the afternoon.” It sounds funny, but I guess you’d have to get some sleep if you were staying up past midnight to listen to music every night.
Well, Philip had to get up “very early in the afternoon” to do God’s will and, if that sounds funny, I think it’s because we always think of doing God’s will according to human efficiency. Yet, if we’re listening to the Lord, that right time might be when our airplane is late and we think it’s such a disaster. Then, we strike up a conversation that allows us to share our faith with one of our fellow passengers. It isn’t efficient in human terms, but it is in God’s timing. If we’re listening to the Lord, that right time might be when we’re waiting for someone to show up at Starbuck’s or Caribou Coffee. We’re all agitated inside because our appointment is late, but suddenly someone starts a conversation and we get a chance to share about Jesus.