A “through the bible” devotion from 1 Kings 21.
The writer of first Kings gives King Ahab the honor of being the worst king – maybe the worst person – ever!
“There certainly was no one like Ahab who gave himself over to do evil in the sight of the Lord” (1 Kings 21:25).
And yet, when confronted by Elijah, Ahab repents.
“Yet it came about, when Ahab heard these words, that he tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and fasted, and he lay in sackcloth and went about despondently. Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, “Do you see how Ahab has humbled himself before Me? Because he has humbled himself before Me, I will not bring the disaster in his days; I will bring the disaster upon his house in his son’s days.” (1 Kings 21:27-29)
When Ahab repents, God is merciful to him! It makes me wonder, “Is repentance ever off the table?”
We like to think so. We like to think that when someone crosses a line, it’s over. There’s no going back. And yet Jesus himself says, “the one who comes to Me I certainly will not cast out” (John 6:37).
On any given day, I underestimate God’s mercy and overestimate my own righteousness. Chapters like this and kings like Ahab force me to reevaluate. Repentance is always on the table. Repentance is always on he table for me. That’s because Jesus is on the cross for me. Not just for everyone, but for me.
Thank God his mercies are new every morning!
Waite for it... 