December 21

"Show me wherefore thou contendest with me." Jonah 10:2.

A good man perceives and acknowledges the hand of God in his afflictions. Job sees God contending with him. Though his sufferings were principally from creatures, he said, "The Lord hath taken away." "Thou hast taken me by my neck, and shaken me to pieces." Whatever may form the twigs of the rod, God is the chastiser. He has a right to correct, and can never err in using it. To realize this is the way not only to prevent despondency, but to repress all murmuring passions. This satisfied Eli: "It is the Lord; let him do what seemeth him good." "Oh," says the gardener, as he passes down the walks, and is priding himself on the beds and borders which he has so carefully cultivated, "who removed that plant? who gathered this flower?" His fellow-servant says, "The master." And he is dumb, and opens not his mouth, because he did it.

Again, God has an end to answer by his contention with us. It is not the display of his sovereignty. There is a distinction between bestowing favors and inflicting penalties. If a judge condemned a man to show that he was a judge, or a king imprisoned a man to show that he was a king, every one would cry out against them; but they would be more than justified in employing such measures for the display of justice, and for the advantage of ensample. Paul conveys a degree of censure where we should have looked only for tenderness. The fathers of our flesh chastened us for a few days after their own pleasure. But God, says he, always does it for our profit, that we may be partakers of his holiness. Why is the ship in danger? Because Jonah has fled from the presence of the Lord, and the wind is sent after him. Why does Israel flee before the men of Ai? There is an Achan in the camp. Thus God explains the thing himself: "Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear; but your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear." He therefore does not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men. There is some sin indulged, some duty neglected, some idol adored. But his aim may be not only to rebuke for actual evil, but to hedge up our way with thorns, to keep us from the forbidden ground towards which we are advancing, or to prune us as vines, that we may bring forth more fruit.

God alone can discover his own intentions in his rebukes. In doing this, we are not to suppose that he will employ miracles, or speak in an audible voice from heaven, or strike by a sudden impulse. He acts in a way suited to the nature and improvement of a rational and moral being. He may therefore, in showing us his design, use even an enemy. When Shimei cursed David, David considered him as much sent of God to reprove him as Nathan had been. The will of God may be made known by the admonitions of a pious friend, who sees what we overlook from habit or self-love. We should therefore be thankful when the righteous smite us, and not deem them enemies because they tell us the truth. Sometimes the nature and circumstances of the affliction itself proclaim the secret, and we can see the cause in the effect, the sin in the punishment. The faithful word, read or preached, comes home to our ease, and conscience cries. Thou art the man. Sometimes the difficulty of discovery is great. But if we address ourselves to the Father of lights sincerely and importunately to show us wherefore he contendeth with us, we shall not seek in vain. The promise given to Jeremiah shall be fulfilled in us: "Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not."

And very desirable it is that we should know why he contendeth with us. Indeed, a good man cannot be satisfied without it. For while the wicked are only anxious to escape from trouble, he wishes to profit by it. He desires this knowledge, therefore, not to gratify curiosity, but to enable him to justify God in his dispensations, and to know how to pray, and to exercise the graces of the condition he is in, and to apply to present duty, and that he may confess whatever is wrong, and watch against it in future, saying, "Surely it is meet to be said unto God, I have borne chastisement; I will not offend any more. That which I see not, teach thou me; if I have done iniquity, I will do no more." For there is a tenderness in the conscience of a renewed man that readily responds to God. No sooner did our Lord turn and look upon Peter, than he went out and wept bitterly.

As for an unconverted man to ask God in his affliction to show wherefore he contends with him, it is absurd. It would defeat the end of his suffering, which is not to make him leave a particular sin, but all sin, and to draw him into a new course, and a new state.

But perhaps, though living in sin, you say, God is not contending with you. So much the worse. He is saying, "They are joined to idols; let them alone." Though he spares you now, he will deal with you hereafter. And the longer the arrear, the severer the reckoning. "And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?"