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 “Great Egret” by Chad Crouch and was adapted for length under a Creative Commons License (CC BY-NC 4.0).
Followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.— Heb. 6:12
How gracious is the Holy Ghost, in not only holding forth to the people of Jesus the blessedness and certainty of the promises, but opening to our view multitudes, who are now in glory, in the full enjoyment of them. My soul! dost thou ask how they lived, when upon earth, in the full prospect, before that they were called upon to enter heaven for the full participation of them ? Hear what the blessed Spirit saith concerning it in this sweet Scripture. It was through faith and patience. Now observe how these blessed principles manifested themselves. Another part of Scripture explains—They all died in faith, not having received the promises; but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them. Now this is the whole sum and substance of the believer’s life; he sees them afar off, as Abraham did the day of Christ-—as David, who had the same enjoyment in a believing view, with which his whole soul was satisfied; for he saith, it was all his salvation and all his desire; a covenant which he rested upon, as ordered in all things and sure. Pause, my soul, over this, and ask within, are your views thus firmly founded? What, though the day of Christ’s second coming be far off, or nigh, doth thy faith realize the blessed things belonging to it as certain, and as sure as God is truth? Pause, and see that such is thy faith—then go on. The faithful, who now inherit the promises, and which the Holy Ghost bids thee to follow, not only saw with the eye of faith the things of Jesus afar off, but were persuaded of them ; that is, were as perfectly satisfied of their existence and reality, as if they were already in actual possession. Pause here again, and say, is this thy faith? Are you perfectly persuaded that God was, in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them? Are you convinced that it is God’s design, God’s plan, God’s grace, God’s love, God’s mercy, in all that concerns Jesus? Art thou convinced that God’s glory is concerned in the glory of Jesus, and that every poor sinner gives glory to God in believing the record that God hath given of his Son? Dost thou, my soul, believe heartily, cordially, fully, joyfully believe, these precious things; nay that, in fact, it is the only possible way a poor sinner can give glory to God, in looking up to him as God, in giving him the credit of God, and taking his word as God, concerning his dear Son Jesus Christ? Dost thou, my soul, set thy seal to these things? Then art thou persuaded of the truths of God, as the patriarchs were who saw them, afar off. Once more -—The faithful, whom the Holy Ghost calls upon thee to follow, embraced them also , as well as were persuaded of them. They clasped, by faith, Jesus, in their arms, as really and as truly as Simeon did in substance. Their love to Jesus, and their interest in Jesus, their acquaintance by faith with Jesus, were matters of certainty, reality, delight; and their whole souls were, day by day, so familiarized in the unceasing meditation, that they walked by faith with Jesus while here below, as now, by sight, they are with him above in glory. Pause, my soul! Is this thy faith? Then, surely, Jesus is precious, and thou art indeed the follower of them who now, through faith and patience, inherit the promises. And, ere long, like them, thou shalt see him whom thy soul loveth, and dwell with him for ever.
