A reading of Anglican priest Robert Hawker’s (1753–1827) morning devotional writings from “The Poor Man’s Morning and Evening Portion” for January 12th.
Music: “Mallard” by Chad Crouch; modified under CC BY-NC 4.0.
JANUARY 12.
“If thy brother be waxen poor, and hath sold away some of his possession and if any of his kin come to redeem it, then shall he redeem that which his brother sold.” Levit. 25:25
How poor was I and wretched before I knew Jesus! I had not only sold, as far as I had power to sell, some of my possession, but all. Indeed, dear Lord, I could not sell thee, nor my oneness and union with thee; for that was not saleable, since Christ had from everlasting betrothed me to himself forever. But in the Adam nature in which I was born, I was utterly insolvent, helpless, and ruined: one like the Son of man redeemed me. But what a double blessedness was it to my soul, when I discovered that this Redeemer was so very near of kin to me, that he was my brother. Hail, thou precious, precious Jesus! thou art indeed a “brother born for adversity.” Yes, blessed Jesus! thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise; and all thy Father’s children shall bow down to thee. My soul, see to it that thou make the most of this relationship. Never, Oh never, will thy brother suffer his poor indigent relation to want any more, after that he hath thus redeemed both thyself and thy possession. Now do I see why it was that the church so passionately longed for Jesus under this tender character. “Oh! (said she) that thou wert as my brother, that sucked the breasts of my mother; when I should find thee without I would kiss thee; yea, I should not be despised.”
