Climbing Into Chariots
“The Spirit told Philip, ‘Climb into the chariot (the one belonging to the Ethiopian official).’ Philip ran up and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, ‘Do you understand what you’re reading?’” Acts 8:29–30 (MSG)
What God calls you to, He equips you for.
That truth comes alive in Acts 8. Philip is led by the Spirit to a quiet desert road with no context and no explanation, just a simple instruction: go. And once there, the Spirit gives him a clear next step. Climb into the chariot.
In ancient times, a chariot was a two-wheeled carriage pulled by horses, used for war, travel, or official business. This particular one belonged to an Ethiopian official, a man of influence and responsibility. Philip didn’t know him. He had no invitation. But the Spirit nudged him toward that space anyway.
The chariot represents something deeper. It’s a picture of the assignments we didn’t ask for, the spaces we don’t own, the conversations we didn’t initiate. It’s the open door God points to and says, step into that. It might be a relationship, a role, a ministry, or a moment that feels outside our qualifications. Something in motion. Something unfamiliar. And yet God says, that’s where I want you.
I think about moments in my life where God has pointed me toward a chariot. A meeting I didn’t expect. A platform I didn’t pursue. A conversation I didn’t feel ready for. In each case, I had a choice. Step in, or let it pass by.
Philip doesn’t hesitate. He steps into a moment that wasn’t about him. It was about the man inside, the Ethiopian official. A man reading Scripture. A man searching for understanding. A man God was already working on.
That’s the beauty of obedience. Sometimes it’s not about creating something new. It’s about recognizing where God is already moving and joining Him there.
Here are three things the chariot might represent in your life:
A divine conversation already in progress.
You’re not starting from scratch. God’s been preparing hearts long before you show up.An opportunity you didn’t plan for.
It may not look like something you were chasing, but it could be exactly what God prepared for you to step into.A space outside your comfort zone.
The chariot wasn’t familiar to Philip, but it was filled with purpose. Don’t let unfamiliarity keep you from stepping in.
And what was the result?
“He (the Ethiopian official) ordered the chariot to stop. They both went down into the water, and Philip baptized him. When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of God suddenly took Philip off, and that was the last the eunuch saw of him. But he didn’t mind. He had what he’d come for and went on down the road as happy as he could be.” Acts 8:38–39 (MSG)
He (the Ethiopian official) came searching and left rejoicing.
And all of it started because someone was willing to step into the chariot.
Maybe God is inviting you to do the same. Not to have all the answers, but to simply say yes. Let’s pray:
God, I don’t want to miss what You’re doing. Help me recognize the moments You’ve prepared and the people You’ve placed in front of me. Give me the courage to step into conversations and spaces I didn’t plan for, knowing You’ve already gone before me. Use me however You choose. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Make it Personal:
What chariot is God inviting me to step into?
Am I hesitating because it feels unfamiliar or not meant for me?
Who might already be searching or hurting inside that space?
What would obedience look like today?
