What happens when Biblical Wisdom collides with algorithmic culture? The Ethiopian eunuch's encounter with Philip reveals God's design for discipleship in our hyper-connected age.
When we place ourselves in the Ethiopian's position, some interesting things happen. The Ethiopian was already seeking, reading Isaiah, wrestling with Scripture, hungry for understanding. He represents the posture we should maintain: teachable, humble, genuinely wrestling with God's word rather than assuming we've mastered it.
Philip, from this angle, becomes a picture of how the Spirit works through faithful believers who are available when God orchestrates encounters. Notice Philip didn't force the conversation or manufacture the spiritual interest; he recognized what God was already doing and joined it.
We're always both, really. Sometimes the Philip responding to God's prompting to engage someone else's spiritual journey, sometimes the Ethiopian being guided deeper into truth we couldn't grasp alone.
The Spirit suddenly took Philip away because the Ethiopian now had what he needed to continue growing. Sometimes our role is temporary, sometimes we're the ones being temporarily shepherded.
How has the Spirit used Philip figures in your own spiritual journey to illuminate Scripture you were wrestling with?
My thought is less a mental exercise and more of a pondering, to chew over, to meditate on. The right here and right now in the specifics of our own unique lives. How is the Spirit meeting me today?
I see and hear that journey, your zeal is infectious. If I may risk writing this para and offering this additional thought to you - invite the Spirit to join you on your journey. I think He would like to inform you, on His journey for you. And me too on my own journey. I love the idea of digital discipleship as you mentioned here on your Substack and I do not msg you as some sort of expert, there are no experts of the soul, there is only the Spirit who draws and forms us all, I msg as a fellow believer on the same journey.
Yes. I am shaping my own Substack called Ministry of Imagination. I’m both an artist and spiritual director so imagination is of double interest to me. In my posts, for example, ‘Notes on nation building and Kingdom building, out of Egypt but how to get Egypt out of us’, ‘spiritual direction’ and on art (which I have only just started to post) there is autobiographical writing.
Thanks for your post. A few days or a few decades in His kingdom, until heaven, we are all His disciples.
If we were to place ourselves in the story, as the Ethiopian, and see Philip as the Spirit, what might transpire?
When we place ourselves in the Ethiopian's position, some interesting things happen. The Ethiopian was already seeking, reading Isaiah, wrestling with Scripture, hungry for understanding. He represents the posture we should maintain: teachable, humble, genuinely wrestling with God's word rather than assuming we've mastered it.
Philip, from this angle, becomes a picture of how the Spirit works through faithful believers who are available when God orchestrates encounters. Notice Philip didn't force the conversation or manufacture the spiritual interest; he recognized what God was already doing and joined it.
We're always both, really. Sometimes the Philip responding to God's prompting to engage someone else's spiritual journey, sometimes the Ethiopian being guided deeper into truth we couldn't grasp alone.
The Spirit suddenly took Philip away because the Ethiopian now had what he needed to continue growing. Sometimes our role is temporary, sometimes we're the ones being temporarily shepherded.
How has the Spirit used Philip figures in your own spiritual journey to illuminate Scripture you were wrestling with?
My thought is less a mental exercise and more of a pondering, to chew over, to meditate on. The right here and right now in the specifics of our own unique lives. How is the Spirit meeting me today?
I have wondered this as well. I find often I have the chance to witness for others, share the Gospel, and now to write.
The Lord has given me a conviction to follow and it is rewarding to do so.
I see and hear that journey, your zeal is infectious. If I may risk writing this para and offering this additional thought to you - invite the Spirit to join you on your journey. I think He would like to inform you, on His journey for you. And me too on my own journey. I love the idea of digital discipleship as you mentioned here on your Substack and I do not msg you as some sort of expert, there are no experts of the soul, there is only the Spirit who draws and forms us all, I msg as a fellow believer on the same journey.
I have read your biography here and I am intrigued to know more of your journey. Perhaps it will make it to articles for your fellows to read here?
Yes. I am shaping my own Substack called Ministry of Imagination. I’m both an artist and spiritual director so imagination is of double interest to me. In my posts, for example, ‘Notes on nation building and Kingdom building, out of Egypt but how to get Egypt out of us’, ‘spiritual direction’ and on art (which I have only just started to post) there is autobiographical writing.