December—2 The Poor Man’s Evening Portion

I sleep, but my heart waketh.—Song 5:2.

My soul! behold the Church hath fallen into a sleepy state, after having been at the banquet of her Lord; and view in her the resemblance of thyself. How often art thou in this cold and lifeless situation; and instead of seeking increasing communion and fellowship with Jesus, falling asleep, as one insensible to past enjoyments and present need! It is not indeed the sleep of death! for, through the sovereignty of almighty grace, thou hast been quickened to a new and spiritual life in Christ Jesus; and thine heart waketh to the knowledge of thy Lord. But how unsuitable and unbecoming is it, for one who hath tasted that the Lord is gracious, to be indifferent to the farther enjoyment of him! Time was, when if thou didst miss Jesus in the ordinance, or hadst not a visit from thy Lord for a short space, thou wert on the wing of love going forth in every way, and in every direction, in the inquiry, “Saw ye him whom my soul loveth?” And canst thou, my soul, be contented to live in this sleepy frame, and without the visits of thy Lord? Look up to Jesus, he is near at hand, and waiting to be gracious! Listen to his voice, in his word, in his ordinances, in all the means of his grace; hasten to the awakening ministry of some one of his faithful servants. These methods the Lord will bless. Jesus will come again: he will do by thee as he did by the Church, “He will put in his hand by the hole of the door, until that thy bowels are moved for him.” Precious Lord Jesus! keep from me all sleepy, lifeless frames! Give me day by day to be pressing after some renewed tokens of thy love; and let each mercy quicken my poor soul to desire farther manifestations: that in greater degrees, and more frequent enjoyments of thee, I may, like thy servant, the apostle, “forget those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those which are before, press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus!” Amen.^[1]

 

^[1] Hawker, R. (1845). The Poor Man’s Evening Portion (A New Edition, p. 335). Philadelphia: Thomas Wardle.