But an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, “Get ready and go south to the road that descends from Jerusalem to Gaza.” (This is a desert road.) So he got ready and went; and there was an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure; and he had come to Jerusalem to worship, and he was returning and sitting in his chariot, and was reading Isaiah the prophet. Acts 8:26-28
In Greek the word translated ‘get ready’ is the verb ἀνίστημι / anistémi / ah-NEE-stay-mee meaning: got, get, stood, rise again, raise, rose, stand. The verb translated “arise,” “get up,” “stand,” or “raise” appears 108 times in the Greek New Testament. It covers every sphere where a person (or group) moves from a lower to a higher position—whether literally standing, beginning a journey, taking the floor to speak, recovering from sickness, or rising from the dead. The contexts fall into several dominant themes that reveal God’s work in history and His intentions for His people. Imperative forms urge immediate obedience. An angel tells Peter, “Quick, get up!” (Acts 12:7). The command to Philip—“Get up and go toward the south” (Acts 8:28)—propels the gospel to an Ethiopian official. Saul hears the risen Lord say, “Get up and enter the city” (Acts 9:26). These narratives highlight how divine direction calls for swift response; delay is never portrayed as faithfulness. (Biblehub)
We MUST be ready to do what He asks us to do! Whether it means in our everyday rising to meet Him and be His servant, or being ready to ‘go’ and do where He directs, or to be His hands to go and pray for healing for another, or to follow Him in a crucial life changing moment like Matthew did when Jesus called him to follow him out of the tax collector’s booth. Are we to be ‘awake’? Paul adapts Isaiah when he writes to the Ephesians …
For this reason it says,
“Awake, sleeper,
And arise from the dead,
And Christ will shine on you.” Ephesians 5:14
This appeal calls the followers of Christ to repentance and renewed holiness, confident that the same power that lifted Christ can lift the lethargic, apathetic Christian. We must wake up and get ready! Can Jesus call us out of our routine? Can He change our plans? Can you adjust to His immediate call? Are you ready? How small of a ‘call’ from Him is important? Do the little details in your life mean much to Him? Is He asking you to pray for someone ‘in the moment’? Will you join His plan in that minute?
Many of His miracles seem to be ‘in the moment’, and not a big production or planned event, but acts of small obedience that led to a life changing event! Are you ready to listen to the Holy Spirit? No matter how inconvenient it feels? Or how crazy it seems… what He is asking you to do? Being ready and obedient to Him ‘in the moment’ can lead to some really exciting life altering things!
Father… we worship YOU! Jesus … lead us in YOUR way and plan! Holy Spirit help us to hear YOUR still small voice and be ready to obey YOU!