What Hinders Me?

And the eunuch said, “See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?” Acts 8:36

“Slow obedience is no obedience.” My daughter’s fourth grade teacher spouted a multitude of quotes. This one, I latched onto. When the lag time between asking my child to fulfill a chore or come to the supper table was met with resistance and dragging feet, I sang out the catchy little quote. Her failing to listen and obey with promptness caused frustration in this hurried paced mom.

As I study the passage of Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch, my heart is gripped. First, the Lord speaks to Philip and commands him to drop the task at hand and head to Gaza. No reason for the trip is given – just the command to go. No lag between Philip and the orders from above, only obedience. As he reached the “You have now arrived at your destination” spot, the Lord gives the next instruction – position yourself beside a man reading Scripture.

Once again, no lagging for the obedient disciple. He ran to the eunuch and began teaching the man about the prophecy of Isaiah regarding Jesus Christ.

What happens next both excites and convicts me.

When the light bulb turns on for the eunuch, he asks a simple question, “What hinders me from being baptized?” Philip’s reply – if you believe with ALL of your heart, go for it. Immediately the man jumps from his chariot and drops in a pool of water. No lag time. Wow! He heard, understood and obeyed immediately. Philip modeled the same kind of response to God’s prompting.

So the conviction gripping me is, “Why the constant lag time between my hearing and doing?” Do I believe the commands of Scripture? Emphatically I do, AND with all my heart. Yet, I often drag my feet when my Lord asks me to come to the table of obedience.

Has God ever nudged you to quit nursing a grudge, to stop gossiping, to turn off social media, to spend alone time with Him? Has He ever commanded you to give beyond your comfort zone, go witness to a neighbor, or head to a third world country?

The question is, “What’s your lag time?”

For Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch no lag time lapsed. Full hearts prompted quick obedience.

Let us go and do likewise…