Jonah By Dr. R.T. Kendall June 21, 2023

 So this is what is going on:  the wind now begins to blow, a tempest is stirring - God is angry.  But this is Gods way of going to great pains to show you how much He loves you.  You see, this is a sign of His special grace.  The fact that God sends the wind may be in the realm of common grace because everybody is affected by the wind.   you.  The fact that God would go to great pains to stir you up is a sign that He loves you.  For whom the Lord loves he chastens and scourges every son whom he receives (Heb. 12:6).  The word scourge means to whip with thongs.  And so it is, it is not pleasant.  Luther used to say that you must know God as enemy before you can know Him as a friend.  It is simultaneous wrath and mercy.  But, maybe, you say to yourself: Why is it God does this to me when I see others who dont have to undergo this.  Have you wondered why it is that others can commit sins and get away with it and you cannot.  Have you wondered why it is that the person who lives across the street or next door to you can wade knee-deep in sin, in evil, in  wickedness and get away with it.  They are able to buy things you cannot buy, go places you cannot go.  The can do things like that and you know what they are doing.  They do not care about God; they just go their way and it seems the worse they behave the more they are blest.  The Psalmist experienced the same thing and this is why he wrote the thirty-seventh Psalm: Fret not thyself because of the evil doer who prospers in his way  (Psa 37:1,7).  But that the great Creator of heaven and earth would pass by the masses and single you out by sending a strong wind - be thankful for that.  You see, this is why it is no sign of mercy for you to get away with unrepented sin.  It could be that you are persisting in a sin that nobody knows about and youve got away with it.  It is no sign of Gods mercy.  You may have justified yourself.  You may have said: This is because I am special.  God understands me.  Nobody else could do this but Im a particular case.  Do you know that is one of the favourite tricks of the devil, to make you think your situation is different; that you have a particular trial or a particular temptation that is unique so that nobody has gone though is before, but you.  Therefore although no-one else should do it, you would not advise anybody else to do it because you are different and God understands that.  Be careful, be very careful for if you are permitted to go on and on in unrepented sin, it is no sign of Gods mercy.  It is more than likely a sign that God is passing you by, giving you over (Rom. 1:28).  Are you at this moment on the brink of doing something dangerous and you know it is wrong.  Break it off!  May God grant you repentance now.  God does not chastise for sin repented of.  It is no sign of His merc y if you are getting away with those things.