Recently I was requested to pray for a person I did not know. My favorite verse when an unknown request is made, or one that is noted to be unspoken, is:
Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. (Romans 8:26-27)
I don't need to know the person nor the request, because I know who God sent following Jesus' resurrection:
But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. (John 14:26)
John is the only gospel writer to speak of the Comforter, but Luke also wrote of the Holy Ghost, and whether it is Holy Ghost or Holy Spirit, the remainder of the letters connect the three aspects of our God, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. I know that has been taken to mean that Christians worship three different God's, but the example I like best is me.
I am a daughter, a wife, and a mother. I interact differently with people depending on the individual aspects required. I also am a woman, an employer, and an employee. Depending on the situation, I make a wide range of decisions based on those attributes. I am bound by physical limitations and can be in only one place at a time, and one time or place. But that simplicity should give you a clue.
God is not limited. Not by time, not by place, not by flesh - except when He appeared here on earth as the child of Mary and Joseph. That was His choice. Jesus was limited by flesh and somewhat by time, but the spirit that is the God we worship was not. Nor is He now. Nor is He divided into three separate beings. The name He gave to Moses is good enough for me: I AM.
God provided the Holy Spirit as the Comforter. He remains with us. My favorite story about the Holy Spirit includes the disciple, Philip and is found in Acts:
And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert. And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship, Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet. Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot. And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest? And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him. The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth: In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth. And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man? Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus. (Acts 8:26-35)
Spend some time thinking about the two men in this story. One walked with Jesus for three years, watched Jesus die, spent time with Him after the resurrection, and has been talking about it for years. The other is reading scripture from another language, a different people, and only God knows why it was that the two of them were brought together for such a time as this, but neither hesitated to converse.
After thinking about the prayer request, and reading Acts 8:26-27, I had a suggestion form in my mind. "Lord, send a Philip. Send someone who will allow the Holy Spirit to work through them, as Philip did. Let the person open their heart to be receptive to the Holy Spirit and understand the gospel message is for them." Yes, a prayer. Amen - may it be so.
There are Philips in our world today. I know a couple of them - ready to answer the questions "... of whom speaketh the prophet ..." In fact, both you and I can be the Philip for someone. I actually have been, I believe, speaking with someone at a specific time when they were open to the Holy Spirit's message. I spoke without thinking about what I was saying, and frankly I was surprised at what I said, and it wasn't exactly the same each time. It fit the moment.
No, I was not requested to baptize anyone. That certainly is not my calling. But I am called to tell others about Jesus. All Christians know this:
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. (Luke 2:11)
Simply share it and you can be a Philip, too.
