November 6, 2025

Diana Niemeyer
“The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, was the prophet talking about himself or someone else?” So beginning with this same Scripture, Philip told him the Good News about Jesus. As they rode along, they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “Look! There’s some water! Why can’t I be baptized?” He ordered the carriage to stop, and they went down into the water, and Philip baptized him. When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away. The eunuch never saw him again but went on his way rejoicing. Meanwhile, Philip found himself farther north at the town of Azotus. He preached the Good News there and in every town along the way until he came to Caesarea.”
Acts 8:34-40

I can see God’s pursuit of this eunuch so clearly. It’s so interesting how this man was just in Jerusalem. I have so many questions. If he didn’t yet know the Gospel, who was he worshiping? Eunuchs were not seen as fully human in that culture, so I can’t help but wonder how he was treated in Jerusalem. Who gave him the book of Isaiah? And what kind of seeds had already been planted in his heart before he met Philip?

These aren’t questions I’ll try to answer here, but I think they’re worth pondering if we want to understand this man’s story more deeply. What we do know is that, rather than meeting the eunuch in Jerusalem, God directed Philip to meet him at this appointed moment on the road.

As Philip jogs alongside the chariot, he begins with a simple question of curiosity: “Do you understand what you are reading?” The eunuch could have responded in one of two ways— with pride, claiming he understood because his value was rooted in how others saw him, or with humility, admitting his lack of understanding. I imagine this man’s life had already been humbling, and that this long journey from Ethiopia had left him weary and searching. Perhaps he had never had much to be prideful about, or perhaps he had learned that pride in oneself is sinking sand. Whatever the reason, this eunuch’s heart was ready to hear Philip’s message.

He was ready to hear that Christ came to die for him — a gift he was eager to receive. He was so eager, in fact, that as soon as he saw water, he wanted to be baptized. He came out of the water rejoicing, and Scripture says the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away. His work with the eunuch was complete, so the Lord placed him elsewhere immediately, and Philip continued his assignment of preaching the good news.

Philip heard directly from God and was so fully surrendered that the Spirit could instantly move him from one place to another. Then there’s the eunuch — an empty vessel, ready for God to fill him to the point of overflow.

Are you fully surrendered to the Lord, willing to accept whatever assignment He places before you? Are you an empty vessel, ready to receive from Him until you overflow? How is your heart postured toward the Lord in this season that he has you in?