Morning, July 13
Go To Evening Reading
“God said to Jonah, Doest thou well to be angry?”
Jonah 4:9
Anger is not always or necessarily sinful, but it has such a tendency
to run wild that whenever it displays itself, we should be quick to
question its character, with this enquiry, “Doest thou well to be angry?” It may be that we can answer, “YES.” Very frequently anger is the madman’s firebrand, but sometimes it is Elijah’s fire from heaven. We do well when we are angry with sin, because
of the wrong which it commits against our good and gracious God; or
with ourselves because we remain so foolish after so much divine instruction;
or with others when the sole cause of anger is the evil which they
do. He who is not angry at transgression becomes a partaker in it.
Sin is a loathsome and hateful thing, and no renewed heart can patiently
endure it. God himself is angry with the wicked every day, and it
is written in His Word, “Ye that love the Lord, hate evil.” Far more frequently it is to be feared that our anger is not commendable
or even justifiable, and then we must answer, “NO.” Why should we be fretful with children, passionate with servants,
and wrathful with companions? Is such anger honourable to our Christian
profession, or glorifying to God? Is it not the old evil heart seeking
to gain dominion, and should we not resist it with all the might of
our newborn nature? Many professors give way to temper as though it
were useless to attempt resistance; but let the believer remember
that he must be a conqueror in every point, or else he cannot be crowned.
If we cannot control our tempers, what has grace done for us? Some
one told Mr. Jay that grace was often grafted on a crab-stump. “Yes,” said he, “but the fruit will not be crabs.” We must not make natural infirmity an excuse for sin, but we must
fly to the cross and pray the Lord to crucify our tempers, and renew
us in gentleness and meekness after His own image.