True Humility Is Remorseful

1 Kings 21:27-29 -  So it was, when Ahab heard those words, that he tore his clothes and put sackcloth on his body, and fasted and lay in sackcloth, and went about mourning.  And the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying,  "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."

 

Ahab had done great evil in the sight of his people.  He allowed the influence of the totally immoral queen Jezebel to lead him far away from the will of God. Together…they were a match that took what they wanted….with no thoughts of how it would hurt someone else.  Ahab wanted a farm that was not for sale…so Jezebel found two people to lie in court and had Naboth stoned….then king Ahab took it from the rightful owners.

 

It wasn’t until God told Elijah to go and speak to Ahab of his sin that he realized he had done anything wrong.  He was clearly convicted of his evil ways….humbling himself by fasting….and dressing in sackcloth….and mourning.  It wasn’t just an act…for God saw his remorse and lessened the curse he had placed upon his family. 

 

It almost makes me wish that God still spoke to us through his prophets face to face….and we still wore sackcloth when we felt convicted of our sins.  But we live in different times ….and the outward signs of remorse are so easily replicated that true humility would be hard to recognize. God looks at the heart…..and we are expected to listen to him through the godly people he places around us…and the study of his Bible. Every answer we need is in there….maybe part of how God measures our current day humility is how often we search for answers in it.

 

Father….I thank you for this story that reminds me to listen to the voices of the godly people you place around me.  I thank you for reminding me that you placed every answer I need to live my life in the Bible you gave to us so long ago. Give me ears that listen to what you give people to say to me…and eyes to read the words in your Bible that will direct my path for the next days.  Give me the wisdom to understand what they say and what I read.  Then give my heart the ability to recognize when I have strayed off your path…and need to change direction.  Let me show the active remorse of Ahab’s…that exposes my heart of sorrow for what I may have done….so I can receive the great forgiveness and mercy your son gave me when he gave his life on that cross. Amen.