December 21

Twenty-second Saturday after Trinity

Be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer. I S. PETER iv. 7.

NECESSARY as the habit of watchfulness is at all times to the Christian, it is more especially needful to him as he prays. Watch then against wandering thoughts. How often do they grievously harass us as we pray! If we would shut out the world and subdue self, and be alone with God, we must "watch unto prayer." We cannot pour out our hearts in prayer unto God, if we allow our thoughts to carry us whithersoever they list. We must gently but very firmly control our thoughts, and inwardly resolve not to be drawn aside by them. Another help to prayer is self-examination; this practice honestly employed cannot fail to afford much useful help to prayer. We cannot know, or know to any purpose, our own great sinfulness and need of amendment and of the grace of God unless we look carefully and frequently into our hearts and lives. In our secret chamber we should with open mouth confess to God the sinfulness of our nature, how prone we are to sin on the slightest temptation. Confession is an important part or help to prayer, and from acts of sin which we have committed we should turn our confession to sins of omission. How many are the duties which we neglect to perform, or do not perform from the right motive! Bear in mind that each neglect of duty is sin. Look steadily at this fact. Intercession for others is by no means an unimportant part of prayer, of which S. Paul alludes in his Epistle, "I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy." Lord,

Do Thou with Thine Almighty Hand

Thy loving Saints defend.

What though, by earthly woes oppressed,

The body wearied lies,

Yet may our spirit freely wing

Its passage to the skies.