A reading of Anglican priest Robert Hawker’s (1753–1827) morning devotional writings from “The Poor Man’s Morning and Evening Portion.”
The music for this reading is “European Starling” by Chad Crouch and was adapted for length under a Creative Commons License (CC BY-NC 4.0).
“I will say unto God, Do not condemn me; show me wherefore thou contendest with me.” Job 10:2.
My soul! art thou at any time exercised with any trying dispensations? Doth thy God, thy Jesus, seem to hide his face from thee? Are his providences afflicting? Art thou brought under bereaving visitations? Is thy earthly tabernacle shaken by sickness? Are the pins of it loosening? Are thy worldly circumstances pinching? Is prayer restrained? O, refer thy state, my soul, be it what it may, to Jesus! Tell thy Lord, that, of all things, thy greatest dread and fear is, lest thou shouldest he mistaken concerning his love to thee. Say, as Job did, “Show me wherefore thou contendest with me.” There is an Achan in the heart. Thy Jesus doth not withdraw for nothing. Love is in his lips. Salvation fills the whole soul of Jesus. Fly to him, then, my soul! Say to him, Lord, make me what thou wouldest have me to be. Oh! for a word, a whisper of Jesus. I cannot live without it. I dare not let thee go, except thou bless me. Not all the past enjoyments, experiences, manifestations will do me good, until thou again shine in upon my soul. O come then, Lord Jesus! I fly to thee as my God, my Saviour, my portion, my all. Never, surely, wilt thou say to the praying seed of Jacob, seek ye my face in vain.
