Reading: “As having nothing, and yet possessing all things.”—2 Corinthians 6:10

There are three blessed lessons the Holy Ghost teaches on this ground. First, the believer is thoroughly emptied of himself. Have you been led to see, to feel, to know, to be convinced that, after all your attainments, after all learning and all your years as a Christian, you have nothing, can do nothing, are worse than nothing, and, literally, have no more in yourself now to recommend you to Jesus than the first moment you heard of His name? This is to have nothing; this is what it means to be poor in spirit. Second, do you possess all things in Jesus? Yes, if so be you are living wholly upon Him; and how is this known?

When a sense of my emptiness brings to me that enjoyment of His fullness; my poverty, His riches; my weakness, His strength; my sins, His righteousness; my guilt, His blood; I truly possess all things!

And there is a third precious lesson the Holy Ghost teaches to the poor that have nothing and yet possess all things; namely, so to possess Jesus Himself that He may not only make His poor ones rich in His riches, but be Himself their treasure; so to supply them not only with what they need, but to be Himself their fullness; not only to open to them light and life, but to be Himself both their light and life; so to impart to them salvation as to shew them that He is Himself their salvation; and, in short, so to give them present peace, and the assurance of everlasting happiness in His blood and righteousness, as to give them the perfect enjoyment that He is Himself both their present and everlasting happiness, and their portion for ever.

“The great mistake made by most of the Lord’s people is in hoping to discover in themselves that which is to be found in Christ alone.”—A. W. Pink

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 ©2013.