Merciful, Mighty and Gracious is our LORD God
"He hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted: neither hath He hid His face from him: but when he cried unto Him He heard him." -Psalm 22:24 [KJV]
My soul, behold Jesus, the Lamb of God, in this sweet scripture. Is it not said of Him, that in the days of His flesh "He offered up strong crying and tears, and was heard in that He feared? Though He were a Son, yet learned He obedience by the things which He suffered." And was Jesus the Holy One, the afflicted One, also? Was He truly so, when He bore thy sins? And was this the time to which the scripture refers, when God the Father had respect to the sufferings of Jesus, and neither despised nor abhorred them? Did the Father behold Him then through the whole as the sinner's Surety, and graciously accept Jesus and the church in Him?
Oh then, my soul, think of this in all thy trials and afflictions. Carry all thy sins and sorrows to the throne. Jesus knows them all, sees them all, nay, appoints them all. He is always looking upon thee, and presenting thee in Himself to the Father. And depend upon it, as thy afflictions are not only known by Him, but appointed by Him, He will measure out no more to thee than He will sanctify. And so far from abhorring or despising thy affliction, He will with every sorrow grant support, and with every temptation make a way to escape. Go then, my soul, cast all thy care upon Him; for He careth for thee.
-preacher Robert Hawker (1753-1827 A.D.)
September 27th, THE POOR MAN'S MORNING PORTION
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