Man is a social being, and grace by no means ignores this characteristic. In fact, the joys of fellowship with fellow believers are infinitely greater than any earthly companionship ; and yet this fellowship must have a solid substratum of individuality, or it will be neither helpful nor lasting. There are a few scriptures which illustrate the dealings of our Lord with individuals, that will bring out the importance of this.
I. IN CONVICTION.
If there is to be genuine measurement of sin, it must be in the presence of God alone, with no distraction from one's fellows, which would either lessen the true sense of guilt, or so oppress the soul with shame that it will become self-occupation instead of self-judgment. A familiar example of how the Lord deals in a solitary way with a soul, to produce conviction, is found in the fourth of John, in the case of the woman of Samaria. It is scarcely necessary to more than mention this. No one is present to hear what she has to say to Him who discloses to her the fact that He knows all about her. Thus, quietly, she is brought to measure the solemn fact that God knows all her past and all the secrets of her heart. Everything is brought out into the light, and the effect of it is not to drive her away, nor to overwhelm her, but in all sobriety, knowing her true condition, to cast herself upon Him who had told her all things that ever she did.
Souls may be awakened in companies. As a matter of fact, conviction of sin may take place, and
often does, in the presence of others; but there is an isolation of spirit which answers to the case of the woman of Samaria. None is seen but the Lord and one's guilty soul. Everything else is forgotten or ignored; and until He has done His holy work, one's fellow men are entirely in the background. Where this is not the case, even when there is a genuine work of the Spirit of God, He is much hampered by the fear of man, or, what is perhaps worse, the comfort of man. It is far more dangerous to tell one that his case is not so bad or hopeless as it might be, than it would be to tell him there was no hope. Neither of these is done when the soul is alone with the Lord.
II. NEED MET.
We see twin mercies in the healing of the woman with the issue and the raising of Jairus' daughter. It is as our Lord was on the way to heal the latter, that the woman comes behind Him and touches the border of His garment. Strikingly, she had been afflicted twelve years, even as Jairus' daughter was twelve years of age. The life of a fallen creature, after all, is but a lingering disease, sure to end, unless grace interpose, in death. So, Jairus' daughter would represent the feebleness and decay of nature from the beginning, as the woman would suggest the defilement that comes in connection with that.
The crowd surges about our Lord, the multitudes throng Him and press Him, some with interest, some with hostility, many with indifference, probably merely attracted by the crowd. His disciples are close about Him; but in the midst of all that throng there is one spark of faith, one hand that is reached out to lay hold of the everlasting mercy that is there for her- equally there for all the crowd, who, alas, pass on with indifference, unconscious of their need. But oh, how good it is to think that He notes the faith which feels its need; He recognizes the reality of that which timidly and in secret, as it were, would lay hold upon His mercy! He recognizes and marks it all. Faith gets what it needs. This is ever true. Most blessed fact! Let the multitude press and throng. It cannot press away or check one single soul who would creep, with its need, to the border of Jesus' garment. And so, in this poor world, with its multitudes passing here and there, if our needy souls desire it, we can ever lay hold upon One who meets that need.
III. FINDING PEACE.
The scene in the seventh of Luke is in striking contrast with that in the fourth of John, so far as externals are concerned. Instead of a lonely seat by the well-side, speaking with the woman, we see Him at a feast in the Pharisee's house, with all its accompaniments. Is it possible that in such a presence as this there can be solitary dealing with a soul ? Most beautifully does the narrative of the woman that was a sinner answer this. She had an apprehension of the grace of Christ; how deep and full, we know not, but sufficiently so to have stirred the inmost depths of her soul, and to bring her, with her double gift of tears and precious ointment, to the feet of Him who would never spurn even such as she.
The crowd that is about her, the sneering Pharisees, with their self-complacency and contempt even
of Christ, are all ignored or forgotten by her. One only occupies her mind and heart, and that One is He who knows all about her, and, knowing it, does not turn her from Him. What boldness simple faith gives!-boldness in the presence of those who despise! She is not overwhelmed by their greatness or neglect. What overwhelms her is the sense of that wondrous grace that has stooped to meet her need and guilt. So she pours out together tears of bitter shame and sorrow-tears, too, of love; and, mingling with it, may we not say, not more fragrant or acceptable to our Lord, the sweet perfume that tells of the preciousness of His own name, which is like ointment poured forth.
How blessed it is to be alone with Him thus, alone even in the midst of everything that is contrary to Him and us, alone as worshipers where the cold smile of self-righteous contempt in vain would distract our hearts!
IV. TESTIMONY AND WORSHIP.
The blind man in John 9:illustrates a further phase of this solitary intercourse with Christ. His very blessings had isolated him. Until Christ opened his eyes, he at least had a home and a place in the synagogue, with the pity and the pittances of his coreligionists. All that is changed when he has a Hand laid upon his eyes and obeys the word which tells him to wash and receive his sight. He has eyes now, but he has lost apparently everything else. The men of the synagogue turn him out. His own parents refuse to stand by him. He is left all alone, no one apparently even to wish him joy with his new-found treasure; alone so far as man is concerned, but that loneliness is but the occasion for One to make His presence known which amply repays for every loss.
He had received blessing from the Lord as the Opener of his eyes, but he was now to use those eyes in beholding the Son of God. Our blessings, after all, are but means to enter more fully into the glories of the Person of Christ. There is no holier place, no more wonderful in all the Gospels, than the nameless place where Jesus found the man and manifested Himself to him as the Son of God. There the worship of heaven is anticipated, as the once sightless beggar bows prostrate at the feet of Him who is, for faith, "my Lord and my God!" Unquestionably, he will find his place later on in association with others who, like himself, have learned in solitude to know this blessed One:but who can intrude between the soul and this meeting with Him who has made Himself all in all to it?
V. SERVICE.
There was a subtle pride in Peter which led him to think more of his own devotion to Christ than of that of his brethren:"Though all men shall be offended because of Thee, yet will I never be offended." This savors little of that self-knowledge which would rather ask, "Lord, is it I?" Left to ourselves, what are we not capable of ? But the same grace that called Peter, and bore with him through all his waywardness and instructed him, is sufficient here too, and, though he must bitterly learn his lesson, when he has learned it, restores him fully to the joy of communion and of service again.
Simultaneously with his restoration to the Lord is his reinstatement in service. "Lovest them Me?" '' Feed My Lambs." '' Shepherd My sheep." It all goes together. If there is love to Christ, love that is deeper because based now upon self-distrust, it is to find expression in showing Christ's love to those who are its objects. Yet even here Peter forgets for a moment that to be alone in the path of service to the Lord must ever be first, and fellowship next. He had heard the words "Follow thou Me." Were not these sufficient ? He turns, however, to see another disciple whom Jesus loved, who also is following as surely he would, and the sudden question, "Lord, and what shall this man do?" shows occupation rather with his brother's service than his own. Our Lord's loving rebuke is a word for us all. " If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee ? Follow thou Me." Even should John be left here, spared from the cross which Peter was to endure, it was in the Hands of love and power, which could make no mistake. Peter's care was not to know what would befall John, but rather keeping so close to his Lord, to see that he was in the place where he could do and suffer for his Master.
Let us hear that word for ourselves! We look at others who seem busily and happily engaged in the Lord's service, it may be, whose lot in life seems far happier than our own perhaps-who know nothing apparently of the ruggedness of the way; and are we not at times tempted to say, "Lord, and what shall this man do?" It maybe that we are called to some arduous service, or to that which is harder yet, the rasping of a position which ever lets us feel the thorns of the way. We are tempted to repine, to fret, and to look with longing at some one else who seems to have a smoother path. Let us never forget that the path which love has chosen for us is the best that love could choose, best even that divine love could possibly choose. If only Christ is seen in it, if it is only following Him individually, irrespective of all others, it will be a. path whose brightness increases more and more unto the perfect day.
Thus, having been dealt with in the solitude of our own bosoms, in the presence of the Lord, as to sin, as to need, as to peace with Himself, as to worship, and as to service, we are prepared for that fellowship of kindred minds which is our joy on earth. Others, too, have been led as we have. They, too, have been isolated, and felt it keenly. They, too, have found the sufficiency of Christ, all alone, with no one else, and, finding Him sufficient, are now ready both to help and to be helped by all the holy intercourse of those to whom Christ is all, and therefore His people are dear to them.