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 “Raven” by Chad Crouch and was adapted for length under a Creative Commons License (CC BY-NC 4.0).
By his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.— Heb. 9:12.
Ponder, my soul, these solemn expressions concerning thy Jesus. Mark, in them, their vast contents. Jesus, as a Prophet, hath revealed his salvation: as a Priest, he alone hath procured it, and offered it up to God and the Father: and, as a King, he ever lives and reigns to see its efficacy fully accomplished in all his redeemed, being made partakers of it. Behold in this his priestly office, both as an High-Priest and as the sacrifice, what he hath wrought, and what he hath accomplished; even eternal redemption. Mark, my soul, the several volumes of mercy comprised in it. First —Of man’s revolt from God. Secondly —The deadly breach by reason thereof. Thirdly —The proclamation from heaven, of God’s determined purpose to take vengeance of sin. Fourthly —Man’s total inability to appease the divine wrath, either by doing or suffering. Fifthly —Divine grace, in the love of the Father, permitting a substitute, competent to do this great act of salvation, for men; and appointing and constituting no less a Person than his dear Son to the accomplishment of it. Sixthly —Jesus, the Son of God, voluntarily giving himself an offering and a sacrifice for sin, and by that one offering of himself, once offered for ever, perfecting them that are sanctified. Seventhly— Having thus accomplished the purpose of salvation upon earth, Jesus is now by his own blood entered into the holy place, to make the whole effectual by the exercise of his priestly office in heaven. And lastly, to add no more—God accepting and confirming his perfect approbation of the whole, and now proclaiming peace on earth, good-will towards men. Ponder over these grand, these glorious, these momentous subjects, my soul, this day! Take them about with thee wheresoever thou goest; fold them in thy bosom; write them on the tablets of thine heart; let them arise with thee, and lie down with thee. And, in all thine approaches to the mercy-seat, behold Him, and let him never be lost to the view of the eye of faith, by whom the whole is wrought, and of whom this sweet Scripture speaks; who “by his own blood entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.”
