1. View the hand of God in every thing —
b Jam. v. 11.
[Things may be called great or small by comparison ; but, in fact, there is nothing small, when considered in relation to the possible events which may spring from it. The opening of the book precisely in the place where the services of Mordecai to Ahasuerus were recorded, was as much a work of God as any other that is contained in the Sacred Volume0: and the circumstances connected with it were of incalculable importance to the whole Jewish nation. Let nothing then be accounted small : but receive every thing as from God, and endeavour to improve every thing for him : and then shall every thing enrich you with wisdom, and inflame your souls with gratitude and love.]
2. Take occasion from every thing to spread your wants before him in prayer —
[The great, the universal remedy, to which we should have recourse, is Prayer. Prayer will turn every thing to gold. Whether our trials be of a temporal or spiritual nature, they cannot fail of proving blessings if only they drive us to a throne of grace. The direction of God himself is, that " in every thing we should make our requests known to him:" and, on our doing so, we are assured, that " the peace of God which passeth all understanding shall keep our hearts and minds through Christ Jesusd." " If we call upon him in the time of trouble, he will hear us," and turn all our complaints into praise and thanksgiving.]
3. Give him the glory of all the deliverances you receive —
[On all the different occasions mentioned in the psalm, it is said, "O that men would therefore praise the Lord for his goodness!" This is the tribute which all of us are called to pay ; and the very end which God proposes to himself, both in our trials and deliverances, is, to make us sensible of his goodness, and to draw forth from us the tribute of a grateful heart. " Whoso offereth him praise, glorifieth him." See to it then that your daily mercies call forth suitable returns of love and gratitude : and thus will you be preparing gradually for that blessed day, when all the mysterious designs of God, which now you could not penetrate, shall be unravelled, and all your sorrows terminate in endless joy.]
c Esth. vi. 1 — 3.
a Phil. iv. 6, 7.