A reading of Anglican priest Robert Hawker’s (1753–1827) morning devotional writings from “The Poor Man’s Morning and Evening Portion” for February 5th
The music for this reading is “Wood Duck” by Chad Crouch and was adapted for length under a Creative Commons License (CC BY-NC 4.0).
“In the hand of a Mediator.”—Gal. 3:19.
The hand of a Mediator was the great blessing every enlightened son of Adam, from the fall, sighed after, and looked for, in every approach to God. Hence the first transgressor, for the want of it, hid himself from the presence of God, amidst the trees of the garden. Hence Israel cried out to Moses, “Go thou near, and hear all that the Lord our God shall say; but let not God speak with us, lest we die.” And Job longed for a day’s-man, that is, a Mediator, that might lay his hand upon both parties. See then, my soul, thy privileges; for thou hast a Mediator, and a glorious one indeed, in whose almighty hand all thy concerns are eternally secured. “Ye are come,” saith the apostle; he doth not say, ye are coming; but, ye are come, “to Jesus, the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling.” Oh then, in all thy approaches, have an eye to Jesus. Put all thine affairs into this glorious Mediator’s hand. Remember, he wears thy nature, pleads thy cause, takes up all thy concerns, and ever liveth to make intercession for sinners; and therefore, cast all thy care upon him, for he careth for thee. And look to this one grand thing— that all thy confidence, and all thy joy, ariseth wholly from Jesus’s person and righteousness; not from any supposed graces, tears, repentance—nor even from faith itself, if viewed as an act of thine. Cast aside, as filthy rags, all that is thine; and never, no not for a moment, look at any thing as a procuring cause; but let Jesus have all thy confidence, all the glory, and thou wilt have all the comfort. Though Satan accuse, though conscience pleads guilty, God’s broken law pronounceth condemnation, and justice demands the penalty, Jesus hath answered all, and is on the throne to see the issue. Oh, the blessedness of having all in the hands of a Mediator!
