daily-devotionals

Reading: “Thine eyes shall see the King in his beauty.”—Isaiah 33:17

Who but Jesus could be intended by this promise? And who is as lovely in your eyes but Him? Reader, have you seen Him in this light; do you now know Him, love Him, behold Him, as altogether fair, and the chiefest among ten thousand? Then, surely, this promise has been, and is continually fulfilled in your experience. Have you so seen Him, as to be in love with Him, and to have all your affections drawn forth towards Him? Christian, do you admire Him, and love Him above all, so as never to be satisfied without Him?

Surely, blessed Jesus, there are not only glorious, precious excellencies in You, and in your own divine person, as You are in Yourself. But there is also a beauty in You, considered as You are presented to us by our God and Father.

In this beauty there is a fullness of grace, and truth, and righteousness, exactly corresponding to the needs of poor sinners. Your blood to cleanse, grace to comfort, and Your fullness to supply our every need. In You, dear Jesus, there is everything we can want—life, light, joy, pardon, mercy, peace, happiness here and glory hereafter. Under the enjoyment of the whole of Your beauty, I feel constrained to cry out, with one of old, “I will love thee, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my strength and my song, he is become my salvation” (Psalm 18:1 and 118:14).

But this is not all; for in beholding the King in His beauty, I behold Him also in His love. Yes, blessed Lord, You are indeed most beautiful and lovely; for you have so loved poor sinners, as to give Yourself for them; and the conscious sense that our love to You did not come first, but Yours to us was the first cause for exciting our love.

And now, Lord, every day’s view of You increases that love, and brings home Your beauty more and more. Every renewed manifestation, every view, every glimpse of Jesus, tends to make my God and King more gracious and lovely to my soul, and add fresh fervor to my love

Taken from The Poor Man’s Evening and Morning Portions by Rev. Robert Hawker, Works, Vol. 8; 1830. Edited by Aaron Dunlop for thinkgospel.com ©2014.