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 “Kestrel” by Chad Crouch and was adapted for length under a Creative Commons License (CC BY-NC 4.0).
The mercy promised.—Luke 1:72.
The mercy promised! Why, God graciously promised many mercies, and most faithfully and fully performed them. Yes! every thing out of hell may well be called a mercy. Every child of Adam beareth about with him, day by day, tokens of God’s mercy. The air we breathe, the garments we put on, the food we eat; all the comforts, conveniences, enjoyments of life; these are all mercies. But none of these are what the sweet portion of the morning points at. It is here a particular, a special, one specific mercy. And who can this mean, my soul, but Jesus, thy Jesus? He is indeed the mercy promised; the first mercy, the first promise; the first, best, and comprehensive gift of God in the Bible. He is, indeed, the mercy of mercies, the first-born, the sum and substance of every other. He is essential to make all other mercies really and truly mercies; for, without him, they ultimately prove injurious. He is essential to put a sweetness, to give a relish, a value, an importance, to every other. Where Jesus is, there is mercy; where Jesus is not, what can profit? My soul! hast thou considered this? Dost thou know it? Is Jesus thine? Is this mercy promised, really, truly given to thee? Hast thou taken him home to thine house, to thine heart? Pause! If it be so, how dost thou value him, know him, use him, live to him, walk with him, hope in him, rejoice in him, and make him thine all? Hast thou received him as a free mercy, an undeserved mercy? Hast thou accepted him as so seasonable a mercy, that without him thou wouldst have been undone for ever? Is he now so truly satisfying- to thee in all thy desires, for time and for eternity, that thou canst bid adieu to every enjoyment, if needful; and, looking up to Jesus, canst truly say, “ Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee! O my soul! if this be thy portion, then hast thou a Benjamin’s portion indeed! God thy Father hath given thee indeed the mercy promised; and Jesus is, and will be, thy mercy, and the mercy of all mercies, to all eternity. Amen.
