Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Go south to the road — the desert road — that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians. This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the book of Isaiah the prophet. The Spirit told Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.” Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked. “How can I,” he said, “unless someone explains it to me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. The eunuch was reading this passage of Scripture: “He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before the shearer is silent, so he did not open his mouth. In his humiliation he was deprived of justice. Who can speak of his descendants? For his life was taken from the earth.” The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?” Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus. As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water. Why shouldn’t I be baptized?” And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing.
—Acts 8:26-39

As soon as it was night, the believers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. On arriving there, they went to the Jewish synagogue. Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. As a result, many of them believed, as did also a number of prominent Greek women and many Greek men.
—Acts 17:10-12

From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’
—Acts 17:26-28

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First Ballad Part I: Seeking God
By Jennifer Kane

Blessed are those who walk the way,
The law of God they hold,
With hearts that seek Him, pure and true,
Their joy is wealth untold.

The lilies bloom without a care,
The sparrow sings its song,
Seek first His kingdom and His truth—
To Him you will belong.

From every time and every place,
God calls the hearts of men,
To seek Him out and find His love,
And walk with Him again.

In spirit and in truth, He seeks
The ones who choose His name,
To worship Him with fervent hearts—
Not seeking earthly fame.

The Scriptures light the pilgrim’s path,
Each word a guiding star,
To daily search and find His will—
The answers never far.

For every plan, God’s hand is clear,
To prosper and to guide,
With hope and future, seek His face,
And in His love abide.

A soul is stirred, the Spirit leads,
The humble heart draws near,
With questions asked, the truth revealed,
The soul will know no fear.

Knock on the door; it shall be opened,
Ask, and you shall receive,
The God who promised to be found
Is there for those who believe.

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Scriptures: Acts 8:28-39, Acts 17:10-12, Acts 17:26-28

In the book of Acts, we see powerful portraits of seekers—individuals whose hearts were open and responsive to the call of God. The Ethiopian eunuch was already reading the Scriptures, even as he rode home from worship. The Holy Spirit sent Philip directly to him, guiding the way, and when the truth was explained, the eunuch responded immediately and was baptized. He went on his way rejoicing—not just because he had found answers, but because he had found God.

Later in Acts, we read of the Berean Jews, who received the message of Christ with eagerness, but not blind faith. They examined the Scriptures daily to see if what Paul said was true. Their noble character was found in their hunger for truth, in their daily diligence, and in their personal responsibility to search the Word of God.

And in Paul’s message at the Areopagus, we learn that none of these moments are accidents. God determines the times and places in which we live. Why? So that we might seek Him, reach out for Him, and find Him. He is not far from any of us.

This is the heart of God—to be known, to be found, to walk with His people. He sends His Spirit, His servants, and His Word to guide the seeker. And He promises that those who seek will find. Humility opens the door to learning—don’t be afraid to ask questions. He is near—closer than you think.

~~~~~

Heavenly Father, Thank You for placing me where I am, in this time and place, that I might seek You and find You. Stir in me a heart that longs to know You more deeply. Give me the humility to ask questions, the hunger to study Your Word, and the wisdom to recognize the people You place in my life to help guide me. Open my eyes to the truth, and let my heart respond with joy, just like the eunuch who found You on the road. Thank You for being near, for speaking through Your Spirit, and for promising that those who seek You will surely find You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

May 29 2025