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‘And Jacob said, Surely the Lord is in this place; and I knew it not.’
Gen_28:16
I. This living sense of God’s presence with us is a leading feature of the character of all His saints under every dispensation. This is the purpose of all God’s dealings with every child of Adam—to reveal Himself to them and in them. He kindles desires after Himself; He helps and strengthens the wayward will; He broods with a loving energy over the soul; He will save us if we will be saved. All God’s saints learn how near He is to them, and they rejoice to learn it. They learn to delight themselves in the Lord—He gives them their heart’s desire.
II. Notice, secondly, how this blessing is bestowed on us. For around us, as around David, only far more abundantly, are appointed outward means, whereby God intends to reveal Himself to the soul. This is the true character of every ordinance of the Church: all are living means of His appointment, whereby He reveals Himself to those who thirst after Him. We use these means aright when through them we seek after God. Their abuse consists either in carelessly neglecting these outward things or in prizing them for themselves and so resting in them, by which abuse they are turned into especial curses.
—
Bishop S. Wilberforce.
Illustration(1) ‘It was worth while to light on such a place, to get such a dream! My soul, never talk of the accidents of thy life. Never say that any spot, however deserted—that any pillow, however stony—has come to thee by chance. The stone thou rejectest, may become the head of the corner. The stray moment which thou despisest, may be the pivot on which thy fate revolves. The sleep which thou callest weakness, may be the origin of thy princely strength—thy prevailing power with God and man. Tread solemnly the trifling paths of existence. Walk reverently through the days that seem to thee without meaning. Uncover thy head in the presence of things which the world calls commonplace, for the steps of the commonplace way may be thy ladder from earth to heaven.’
(2) ‘This is the hour of Jacob’s conversion. God comes to him at Bethel in grace, and makes him a new man. Cheat and supplanter as he was, fugitive from his father’s house, God sees his value and enrols him among the children of His family.
The whole history of His Church is filled with similar instances of His clearsightedness and mercy.
In the midsummer of 1648, a Royalist soldier, who had been captured by the men of the Parliament after a fierce fight in the streets of Maid-stone, was doomed to die on the gallows. By a kind of miracle he succeeded in making his escape. But “he abode still very vile and debauched in his life, being a great drinker and gamester and swearer.” Yet John Gifford, for that was his name, having had first himself and then his Saviour revealed to him, became by-and-by a preacher of the Gospel in the town of Bedford. He it is who lives in the literature of the world as the Evangelist of The Pilgrim’s Progress. He it was who pointed Bunyan himself, when he was weeping and breaking out with a lamentable cry, to the Interpreter’s House and the place where the Cross of Jesus stands.
The Love which saved Jacob and John Gifford is eager to seek and save me. Has it broken down my rebellion? Has it scattered my suspicious thoughts? Has it kindled in me an answering response of love?’