April 16: In all their affliction He was afflicted. Isa. 63:9

The Scriptures point out the fact that the Lord's consecrated people belong so completely to Him that in all their afflictions He is afflicted. When Saul of Tarsus was persecuting the early church, our Lord called out to him on the way to Damascus, and said, "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou ME? And he said, who art thou, Lord? and the Lord said, I am Jesus, whom thou persecutest." Saul was not persecuting the glorified Savior directly, but he was persecuting the followers of Jesus--not the new creatures, but the flesh. R5173