HOW often has it been said that each one, sooner or later, must have to do with God. Happy it is for the one who has to do with Him in this world, now that it is the day of His grace. I would point out three instances of this set before us in Scripture.
My readers are doubtless all familiar with the history of Joseph, the dearly loved son of his father Jacob. Sent by his father to inquire for the welfare of his brethren, but hated by them because God had been pleased to speak to him in dreams ― they “sold him into Egypt, but God was with him, and delivered him out of all his afflictions, and gave him favor and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh, king of Egypt; and he made him governor over Egypt.” In all this God was moving the wheels of His government. “Moreover”, we read, “He called for a famine upon the land; He brake the whole staff of bread.” He it was that had sent Joseph before them. How little did his brethren know of the seven years of drought, nor had they a thought of relief through the one they had sold, and “whose feet had been hurt with fetters.”
Driven by the famine down into Egypt, they met Joseph but did not know him. He was perhaps the last person whom they would wish to meet, and Joseph used his knowledge of them with divine wisdom and skill, and thus brought their sin against him to their remembrance, though his behavior was a mystery to them. It was when the Lord had filled Peter’s boat with fish that Peter felt what a sinner he was in the Lord’s presence. So there came the moment when Joseph made Himself known to his brethren. How will he do it? Everyone must withdraw so that he might be alone with them ― Alone were they with the one they had hated and sold! and completely in his power! He wept aloud as he said to his brethren: ―
“I AM JOSEPH.”
Who was the reconciler here? Not only had Joseph delivered them from famine, but as he kissed them all and wept upon them, they were set at ease in his presence. Happy reconciliation!
Does your heart, my reader, respond to this early witness of the grace of God to sinners; witnessed again with redoubled force when we read our Lord’s account of the father falling on the neck of his prodigal son and kissing him. In this case it was also a famine that brought him back.
I pass on to another scene. A young man, Saul, stood by and kept the clothes of those who murdered Christ’s martyr, Stephen. So far from being touched by the martyr’s prayer for those who stoned him, he resolved if possible to blot out the Name of Jesus from the earth, for he hated it. Not content with making havoc of the assembly in Jerusalem, and breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, he persecuted them even to strange cities. On the road to Damascus for this purpose, suddenly he was arrested by a light from heaven which shone round about him, and he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me?” It was no voice of angry demand, but a voice that reached Saul’s inner man as he said, “Who art thou, Lord?” And the Lord said,
“ I AM JESUS
whom thou persecutest.” He was in the presence of the One whom he had hated. What a discovery he made! What more will Jesus say to him? He could have commanded him into the abyss of darkness and misery. Ah! no, the Jesus who spoke to him, the Jesus whom he had persecuted, quietly but with authority, for He was Lord, bade him “Arise” ― wondrous word of grace― “and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.” He had become Christ’s captive, henceforth to be led in triumph by Him.
My reader, ‘Have you ever found yourself in the presence of Jesus?’ Have those words “I am Jesus” sounded in the secret of your soul? If it has, what discoveries you have made! First, as to yourself and your own sinfulness; and secondly, as to the salvation wrought out for you at Calvary. You must in spirit be near him in order to know what a Saviour He is.
Now let me conduct my reader to a period in the history of those who knew Jesus and were His disciples when He was here upon earth. They were crossing a stormy sea, and Jesus was not with them in bodily presence (Matt. 14:22-2722And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away. 23And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone. 24But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary. 25And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. 26And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear. 27But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid. (Matthew 14:22‑27)). He had gone up into a mountain to pray. The wind was contrary to them, and the ship was tossed with the waves; but the eye of Jesus was upon them, and He saw them toiling in rowing (Mark 6:4848And he saw them toiling in rowing; for the wind was contrary unto them: and about the fourth watch of the night he cometh unto them, walking upon the sea, and would have passed by them. (Mark 6:48)), and in the fourth watch of the night He went to them walking on the sea. He could have stilled the contrary wind and calmed the sea, but He did not; and instead gave them His presence. They thought it was an apparition, and this increased their fear. Then came to them the words, “Be of good cheer,
IT IS I;
be not afraid.” Are things contrary, dear Christian reader, and your heart troubled? Hearken ― do you hear His voice, “It is I” Be then of good cheer. If Christ’s presence is with you, the wind and waves are moving you on to the shore whither you are going.
“Safe to the land, safe to the land,
The end is this ―
And then with Him go hand in hand,
Far into bliss.”
Till that moment may the words “It is I” be our cheer through all the difficulties of the way. He surely sees our toil, and His words are our cheer. T. H. R