A reading of Anglican priest Robert Hawker’s (1753–1827) morning devotional writings from “The Poor Man’s Morning and Evening Portion” for January 31st.
The music for this reading is “Pied-billed Grebe” by Chad Crouch and was adapted for length under a Creative Commons License (CC BY-NC 4.0).
“What, think ye that he will not come to the feast?”—John 11:56
Is this thy inquiry, my soul, when at any time thou art seeking Jesus in his word, in his ordinances, at his table? Will he not come? Will Jesus not be there? Think how he hath dealt in times past. Did not Jesus rejoice when the hour arrived for coming into the world for salvation? Doth he not rejoice, when coming to the heart of the poor sinner for conversion? and will he not come with joy in all the renewed visits of his love? Besides, doth not Jesus know that it is a time of need to thee? And hath he not opened a way to the throne of grace, on purpose that his poor helpless children might come boldly to a throne of grace to obtain help, and find grace in every time of need? Oh then, mark it down as a sure thing, thy Jesus will be there. He spreads the feast, and he will be present. He waits to be gracious; waits to be kind to thee. Love is in his heart, and salvation is in his hands. Hasten then to his house, to his table, to his bosom, to his heart; and say, with the church, “Come, my beloved, and be thou like a roe, or a young hart, upon the mountains of Bether.”
