Acts 9:6-166And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do. 7And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man. 8And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man: but they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus. 9And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink. 10And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord. 11And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth, 12And hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in, and putting his hand on him, that he might receive his sight. 13Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem: 14And here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy name. 15But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: 16For I will show him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake. (Acts 9:6‑16).
WHEN Saul of Tarsus, struck down on the road to Damascus, asked the question, “Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?” the Lord told him one thing only—that is, He directed him only in one step. “Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.” I think this is important to remember. In seeking guidance how often it is that the soul is perplexed with a multitude of thoughts, whereas one thing only is needful, namely, to know the next step. When a child is learning to walk, it only takes one step at a time, and that totteringly and feebly, and even the most grown and steady walker must confine himself to the “one step” till the next is plainly before him. One step and listen. “It shall be told thee what thou must do.” He had to obey first. “Arise, and go into the city.” How simple―as all the Lord’s commands surely are. And they are not grievous either. It is not the yoke of the law that He puts upon us. “I am Jesus,” was the word that revealed Him. And O how precious to know God thus, the incorruptible God in the Person of Christ; He is the Master; and joy lights up the soul, and freedom fills it when His voice is heard and His glory is revealed.
“I am Jesus.” What wonders in these three little words! I am Jehovah; the living God; the God of Israel; the Creator of all things; the beginning and the ending, the first and the last.
A fire infolding itself, yet quenched in blood for the sinner―the sinner that believes. How wonderful it is―this mystery that none can fathom―none reach down into the depths of. Jesus Christ; the Son of God; the great I AM; the Holy One; once crucified on earth, but now exalted, glorified in heaven. Christ Jesus, the Man in glory, real and true and perfect man, yet over all God blessed forever; object of worship to all in heaven, to many sons and daughters coming up from the wilderness, washed, cleansed, made happy by His love. No dungeon can shut out that, if He be pleased to manifest Himself therein. The high and lofty One, inhabiting eternity, can dwell and does dwell with the contrite and humble. As the poet says―
“Thou, within no walls confined,
Inhabitest the humble mind;
Such ever bring Thee where they come,
And going, take Thee to their home.”
Yes, “God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.” This is what we all want―more grace. He is the God of grace; He giveth more grace. Ah, it is needful in a day like this; yet the believer may take courage―thank God and take courage, as Paul did in a later day, though he had tremendous opposition to encounter, and the powers of the world were against him. He had learned somewhat of the meaning of that word, “I will show him how great things he must suffer for my Name’s sake.” He had asked, “What wilt Thou have me to do?” and he had to learn that the path in which a risen Saviour would lead him was one of suffering. Christ on earth was a suffering Christ, and whoever would be led of Him, must count upon suffering too. “I will show him what great things he must suffer,” saith the Lord. And this is honor.
Surely it is. Honor from God Himself. Christ is glorified. He suffers only in His members now, but they will be glorified by and by. It is the path, the appointed path. The Head suffered while on earth, the members must also suffer if they follow Him. But all is measured. When He leads, He leads on softly; as Jacob says, according as the children are able to endure (Genesis 33), one step at a time, as we have noticed. O for the willing mind, the listening ear, the sitting at the feet of Jesus, that thus the soul may be instructed, comforted, sustained, kept peaceful even on the thorny road, till He shall come, and lift it out of all its sorrow, and the desert journey shall be forever past.