Really, LORD: So Much Grace and Mercy?
Ahab said to Elijah, "So you have found me, my enemy!"
"I have found you," . . . because you have sold yourself to do evil in the eyes of the LORD. He says, 'I am going to bring disaster on you. I will wipe out your descendants and cut off from Ahab every last male in Israel -- slave or free. I will make your house like that of Jeroboam son of Nebat . . . because you have aroused my anger and have caused Israel to sin.'
"And also concerning Jezebel the LORD says: 'Dogs will devour Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel.' "Dogs will eat those belonging to Ahab who die in the city, and the birds will feed on those who die in the country."
(There was never anyone like Ahab, who sold himself to do evil in the eyes of the LORD, urged on by Jezebel his wife. He behaved in the vilest manner of going after idols, like the Amorites the LORD drove out before Israel.)
When Ahab heard these words, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and fasted. He lay in sackcloth and went around meekly.
Then the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite. "Have you noticed how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he has humbled himself, I will not bring this disaster in his day, but I will bring it on his house in the days of his son."
I Kings 21:20-29.
"I have found you," . . . because you have sold yourself to do evil in the eyes of the LORD. He says, 'I am going to bring disaster on you. I will wipe out your descendants and cut off from Ahab every last male in Israel -- slave or free. I will make your house like that of Jeroboam son of Nebat . . . because you have aroused my anger and have caused Israel to sin.'
"And also concerning Jezebel the LORD says: 'Dogs will devour Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel.' "Dogs will eat those belonging to Ahab who die in the city, and the birds will feed on those who die in the country."
(There was never anyone like Ahab, who sold himself to do evil in the eyes of the LORD, urged on by Jezebel his wife. He behaved in the vilest manner of going after idols, like the Amorites the LORD drove out before Israel.)
When Ahab heard these words, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and fasted. He lay in sackcloth and went around meekly.
Then the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite. "Have you noticed how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he has humbled himself, I will not bring this disaster in his day, but I will bring it on his house in the days of his son."
I Kings 21:20-29.
One of my favorite songs is titled, "Grace and Mercy."
I can identify with the lyrics:
Your grace and mercy brought me through
I am living this moment because of you.
Justice demanded that I should have died.
But grace and mercy said, "O no! We have already paid the price!"
These lyrics summarize how I feel as a Christian, in light of what I used to be and what I used to do, when I did not know the Lord. I think of all the terrible things I said against Christianity but how God looked beyond my pitiful ignorance, showed me grace and mercy and called me rather undeservedly to be His servant.
Ahab was a notoriously ungodly king. The Scripture bears witness that, "(There was never anyone like Ahab, who sold himself to do evil in the eyes of the LORD, urged on by Jezebel his wife. He behaved in the vilest manner of going after idols . . .)" Theirs was a wicked duo. They elevated idol worship to national prominence, tore down the altars of God and killed off God's prophets. God was so angry that he caused a three-year drought to ravage the land. As if his wickedness was not enough, with his approval, his wife killed an innocent man so that they could take possession of his vineyard which Ahab had been coveting for so long!
So why in the world would God spare the life of such an individual? The answer can be found in two words: "Grace and Mercy." Grace is God's, love, kindness and undeserved favor that He chooses to bestow upon us. Mercy is God's compassion that causes Him to withhold the judgment that we rightly deserve from Him! God is totally sovereign so He bestows grace and mercy as He chooses and pleases. No one can understand let alone question God about that. When God saw that Ahab had humbled himself in light of the impending judgment, God had mercy on him.
Ahab was not alone in receiving grace; neither am I alone! The apostle Paul confessed in I Timothy 1 that even though he was the worst of sinners, God's grace and mercy was poured out bountifully upon him. And look how far grace took him. So, really LORD: how much grace and mercy? Boundless grace upon grace (John 1:16).
I can identify with the lyrics:
Your grace and mercy brought me through
I am living this moment because of you.
Justice demanded that I should have died.
But grace and mercy said, "O no! We have already paid the price!"
These lyrics summarize how I feel as a Christian, in light of what I used to be and what I used to do, when I did not know the Lord. I think of all the terrible things I said against Christianity but how God looked beyond my pitiful ignorance, showed me grace and mercy and called me rather undeservedly to be His servant.
Ahab was a notoriously ungodly king. The Scripture bears witness that, "(There was never anyone like Ahab, who sold himself to do evil in the eyes of the LORD, urged on by Jezebel his wife. He behaved in the vilest manner of going after idols . . .)" Theirs was a wicked duo. They elevated idol worship to national prominence, tore down the altars of God and killed off God's prophets. God was so angry that he caused a three-year drought to ravage the land. As if his wickedness was not enough, with his approval, his wife killed an innocent man so that they could take possession of his vineyard which Ahab had been coveting for so long!
So why in the world would God spare the life of such an individual? The answer can be found in two words: "Grace and Mercy." Grace is God's, love, kindness and undeserved favor that He chooses to bestow upon us. Mercy is God's compassion that causes Him to withhold the judgment that we rightly deserve from Him! God is totally sovereign so He bestows grace and mercy as He chooses and pleases. No one can understand let alone question God about that. When God saw that Ahab had humbled himself in light of the impending judgment, God had mercy on him.
Ahab was not alone in receiving grace; neither am I alone! The apostle Paul confessed in I Timothy 1 that even though he was the worst of sinners, God's grace and mercy was poured out bountifully upon him. And look how far grace took him. So, really LORD: how much grace and mercy? Boundless grace upon grace (John 1:16).
Prayer: Lord, I thank you for your bountiful grace and mercy upon my life, but please help me never to take your grace for granted. Amen.