A reading of Anglican priest Robert Hawker’s (1753–1827) morning devotional writings from “The Poor Man’s Morning and Evening Portion” for February 3rd
The music for this reading is “Bushtit” by Chad Crouch and was adapted for length under a Creative Commons License (CC BY-NC 4.0).
“Who loved me, and gave himself for me.”—Gal. 2:20
See, my soul, how Paul is for ever using Jesus, and feasting for ever upon him. Oh! seek grace to do the same. He saith, Jesus loved him; Jesus, the Son of God, loved Paul. Now love from any object is valuable, but from the first, and best, and greatest of all Beings, what invaluable love is this? And who did Christ love? “Why me,” saith Paul: “who was a blasphemer, a persecutor, and injurious.” And how do you know, Paul, that Jesus loved you? “He gave himself for me,” saith Paul. “Gave himself?” Yes, himself. Not his gifts only, not his grace, not his mercies, though all creation is his. And whatever he gave must have been an undeserved mercy; for I merited hell, when he bestowed upon me heaven. But even heaven, with all its glories, is nothing, saith Paul, to what Jesus gave me; for he gave “ himself for me.” Oh! my soul, wilt thou not look up, wilt thou not be encouraged to hope, to believe, to hang upon Jesus, for the same. Oh! for faith to believe. Precious Jesus! thou author and finisher of faith, grant me this mercy! And while I read these sweet words concerning thee, who loved and who gave thyself for poor lost sinners—-Oh! like Paul, and with the same assurance of faith, cause me to add -—me, me: Jesus “loved me, and gave himself for me.”
