“And it came to pass, when Ahab heard those words, that he rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his flesh, and fasted, and lay in sackcloth, and went softly” (1 Kings 21:27).
TEXT — 1 Kings 21:17-29
Message
In our text, God sent Prophet Elijah to confront Ahab who had gone to take over the vineyard of Naboth whom Jezebel had killed so he could have the land. Elijah announced the judgment of God upon Ahab, his wife, Jezebel and his entire household for all the wicked atrocities they had committed.
Ahab’s sins and wickedness were said to have far exceeded those of all the other kings before him. He literarily sold himself to sin; but God’s message of judgment struck Ahab. His tough, wicked and hardened heart melted immediately and he humbled himself in repentance.
Ahab’s penitence here is very instructive to us as believers. It goes to show that no one is beyond redemption. Often, we give up on certain classes of non believers we have concluded to be hardened and beyond redemption. When we go out for evangelism, we avoid preaching to them or inviting them to church because we feel that they can no longer be saved. Even though we believe that God has the power to save all sinners, in our subconscious minds, we tend to write off some people. There are Christians who have given up on their spouses and children and do not expect them to get saved anymore because of how far they think they have gone in sin.
God can forgive sinners who truly repent of their sins. Since He does not give up on any sinner no matter how deep the person has gone in evil and misconduct, we should also not give up on them. Let us include them in our prayers and evangelistic plans. If God can break down Ahab’s wicked heart, He can melt and convert every sinful heart.
Thought for the day
To write off a person that God has not written off is a risky presumption.
Listed among “500 most powerful people on the planet” by the Foreign Policy magazine in 2013, Pastor (Dr.) William F. Kumuyi is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry (DCLM) headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria. DCLM started in 1973 as a 15-member Bible study group right in Kumuyi’s apartment at University of Lagos where he was a lecturer. His revolutionary Bible teaching on personal holiness and commitment to evangelism soon gained so much traction and resulted in a widespread revival.
Is enriching God bless
I must confess this DAILY MANNER has really help me since i started reading it. Thanks to my Brother, may God bless him.
Amen. Psalm 23 say the Lord is your strengthi shall not want it maketo lay down in sea passion.
May Almighty God bless everyone in this plaform. Amen.