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 “American Crow” by Chad Crouch and was adapted for length under a Creative Commons License (CC BY-NC 4.0).
“And his name shall be called Wonderful.”—Isaiah 9:6
In the opening of the last month, the fragrancy of Jesus’s name, as Emmanuel, gave a sweet savour to my soul. May He, whose name is as ointment poured forth, give a new refreshment to my spiritual senses this morning, in this name also as Wonderful; for surely every thing in him, and concerning Him, of whom the Prophet speaks, is eminently so. But who shall speak of thy wonders, dearest Lord!—the wonders of thy Godhead, the wonders of thy Manhood, the wonders of both natures united and centered in one Person? Who shall talk of the wonders of thy work, the wonders of thine offices, characters, relations; thy miraculous birth, thy wonderful death, resurrection, ascension? Who shall follow thee, thou risen and exalted Saviour at the right hand of power, and tell of the exercise of thine everlasting priesthood? Who shall speak of the wonders of thy righteousness, the winders of thy sin-atoning blood? What angel shall be found competent to proclaim the wonders of the Father’s love, in giving thee for poor sinners? What archangel to write down the wonders of thy love, in undertaking and accomplishing redemption? And who hut God the Spirit can manifest both in the height, and depth, and breadth, and length, of a love that passeth knowledge? Is there, my soul, a wonder yet, that, as it concerns thee, and thine interest in Him whose name is Wonderful, is still more marvellous to thy view? Yes! O thou wonderful Lord! for’ sure all wonders seem ldst in the contemplation compared to that, that Jesus should look, on me in my lost, ruined, and undone estate; for his mercy endureth for ever! Well might Jesus say, “Behold, I and the children whom thou hast given me are for signs and wonders.” Isaiah 8:18. Well might the Lord, concerning Jesus and his people, declare them to be as men wondered at. Zech. 3:8. And, blessed Lord, the more love thou hast shown to thy people, the more are they the world’s wonder and their awn. Precious Lord! continue to surprise my soul with the tokens of thy love. All the tendencies of thy- grace, all the manifestations of thy favour, thy visits, thy love-tokens, thy pardons, thy renewings, thy morning-call, thy mid-day feelings, thy noon, thy evening, thy midnight grace-—all, all are among thy wonderful ways of salvation; and all testify to my soul that thy name, as well as thy work, is, and must be, Wonderful!
