Occasions and seasons, though intimately connected, and sometimes confounded, are not identical. The occasion is the incident that calls for any thing to be done; and the season is the time when it should be done.

      Among the occasions of prayer, afflictions are most prominent and chief. "In my distress I called upon the Lord," said the royal poet. Hezekiah in his afflictions besought the Lord. Jesus himself especially prayed in the scenes of darkness and distress through which he passed. "In the days of his flesh," says Paul, "when he had Offered up prayers and supplications, with strong crying and tears, to him that was able to save him from death, and was heard because he was pious," or "in that he feared."

      Prayer, indeed, is the language--the natural expression of affliction and distress. And to have a tender-hearted, sympathizing friend to whom to flee in times of affliction, is a relief, a consolation not to be expressed. Hence, among the many glorious attributes and accomplishments of our High Priest, that to us most suitable and admirable in our afflictions, is, that he is "touched with a feeling of our infirmities; that he was in all these respects made like to his brethren," that he might have a proper measure of compassion upon the erring and upon the afflicted.

      Griefs and sorrows, if not divided, are diminished when uttered into the ears of a kind and sympathetic friend. When participated in by him, they are lessened to us. And when we come into the presence of him who "pitieth us as a father pitieth his own dear children," the belief that "he does not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men," is an alleviation, a comfort not to be described. "We have had fathers of our flesh, who chastised us, and we gave them reverence," (thanks for it; ) "shall we not, then, much more be in subjection to the Father of our spirits; and live," who only afflicts us for our good!

      But there are occasions of thanksgiving as well as of prayer. Favors received, and blessings enjoyed, call for thanksgiving. Therefore said James, "Is any one merry? Let him sing psalms." "In every thing give thanks," is a blissful precept. We may even in affliction thank the Lord on two accounts:--First, that he has not treated us as bastards; but as sons, in chastening us; and, in the second place, that he has mingled so many blessings amid so much less chastisement than we deserve.

      There are seasons of prayer and thanksgiving as well as of petition and supplication. We may, indeed, convert particular times into occasions [61] both of prayer and thanksgiving. We may make the morning and the evening not only the times, but the occasions of petition and of praise. "Thou shalt hear my voice in the morning," said David. "O Lord, in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee" (Ps. v. 3). "I will sing of thy power; yea, I will sing of thy mercy in the morning; for thou hast been my defense and refuge in the day of trouble" (Ps. lix. 16). "In the morning shall my prayer prevent these" (Ps. lxxxviii. 13).

      But the Apostles of Christ have taught us to pray always--to be instant in prayer--and to pray without ceasing. These expressions denote the habitual devotion, a constant communion with God.

      In one word, then, we are to make all important occasions seasons of peculiar devotion; and we are to make the seasons themselves--morning, noon and evening, occasions of prayer and thanksgiving. We are to take occasions when they occur, and to make occasions when they do not, of pouring out our hearts to God. It is not a pharisaic precision, a sanctimoniousness at times and seasons, a hypocritical exactness; but a genuine, unaffected, cordial engagedness of soul, on all important occasions, and at regular seasons, for which we plead as the import both of the precepts and examples of the Holy Book.

[A. C.]      

[MHA2 61-62]