Repentance and Forgiveness

Scripture:

I Kings 21:29 "See how Ahab has humbled himself before Me? Because he has humbled himself before Me, I will not bring the calamity in his days. In the days of his son I will bring the calamity on his house".

Observation:

In this passage I see the Lord stopping judgment that He had said would come to Ahab due to Ahab's repentance and humbling himself. Just a few verses before this the Lord tells Ahab that dogs will lick his blood and how there was nobody who sold himself to do wickedness in the sight of the Lord like Ahab. God is declaring that this man was one of the worst men in history, then after verse 27 when Ahab mourns, fasts, and lays in sackcloth, God removes the punishment that was coming to him.

Application:

God loves when people humble themselves and repent of their wrongdoing. He is gracious and compassionate. He is longsuffering and full of mercy when people repent of their sins. When we mess up, God is simply looking for a repentant heart. He wants us to humble ourselves before Him and ask His forgiveness, then He will cleanse us and make us pure again. Repentance must be true and not just an act, but when it is true, God will honor it every time.

Prayer:

Father, Your lovingkindness is better than life. Your forgiveness and restoration are amazing. When your people mess up, you just look for a heart of repentance. You forgive and erase the penalty of a person like Ahab who you said was one of the worst people ever. Teach me to be more like You.

Your Son,
Jeff