From Here to Eternity: Learning to Run When God Calls

Have you ever felt God nudging you to do something — and your first instinct was to run the other way? If so, you’re in good company. Jonah did it. Many of us do it. And yet, Scripture also shows us people like Philip, who didn’t hesitate. When God said “Go,” Philip ran.

This tension — between running away and running toward God’s call — was at the heart of a recent sermon from the Book of Acts. It reminded me that evangelism isn’t about slick words or perfect timing. It’s about being willing to show up when God opens the door.

Jonah vs. Philip: Two Very Different Responses

Jonah got an assignment he didn’t want: go to Nineveh and preach to people he couldn’t stand. He ran in the opposite direction.

Philip, on the other hand, had just witnessed persecution in the early church. He knew the risks. Yet when God told him to go south on the desert road, Philip didn’t delay. He obeyed — and that obedience set the stage for one of the most powerful encounters in the New Testament.

Divine Appointments

Philip didn’t know why he was headed down that lonely stretch of road. But God had already arranged a meeting — with an Ethiopian official riding in his chariot, reading from Isaiah.

When Philip approached, he didn’t launch into a rehearsed speech. He simply asked, “Do you understand what you’re reading?” That simple question opened the door for the eunuch to hear the gospel and surrender his life to Christ.

And right there, on the side of the road in the desert, the eunuch saw water and asked to be baptized. God had arranged every detail — Philip just had to be willing to step into it.

Modern-Day “Baby Aisle” Moments

Several years ago, I had divine appointment in an unexpected place: the baby food aisle at Walmart. A casual encounter turned into a gospel conversation that changed someone’s life forever.

It was a reminder that God still arranges these appointments today. Sometimes they happen in grocery stores, at work, in a coffee shop, or even at church when a first-time guest walks through the door.

The question is: will we go down the “baby aisle” when God prompts us? Or will we talk ourselves out of it because it feels inconvenient or uncomfortable?

What We Can Learn from Philip

The story of Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch gives us a simple framework for evangelism:

God opens the door.

God prepares the heart.

The Holy Spirit goes first.

We show up and share.

Philip didn’t need to be clever or persuasive. He just needed to be present and obedient.

The First Step of Obedience

When the eunuch believed, his very first response was baptism. That’s the natural next step for anyone who places their trust in Jesus — a public declaration that says, “I belong to Christ.”

If you’ve placed your faith in Jesus but haven’t yet taken that step, maybe this is your invitation.

Evangelism isn’t about us being the hero of the story. It’s about pointing people to THE Hero — Jesus.

Like Philip, we’re called to run when God calls, to step into divine appointments, and to trust that the Holy Spirit is already at work in people’s hearts.

So the next time God nudges you — whether it’s down a desert road or down the baby aisle at Walmart — don’t hesitate. Run. You never know whose eternity might be changed because of your obedience.

Grace and peace,

Diana Russell

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