January 31, 2022

Passage Read: 1 Kings 18-21
Meditation Verse: 21:29

Thought

As if Ahab might truly repent! God is so merciful to him, yet there is no indication that he truly and fully repented. Why would God give him this grace, that the evil prophesied would not come on him but on his sons? God is so merciful, even to someone as stubborn as Ahab. The Lord truly does not take away life, but desires that all men repent, and gives much time and opportunity to rebellious men, that they might instead be saved. He proves Himself to be the gracious one, though men accuse Him of ungraciousness. Those men are unwilling to repent, so they accuse God of wrong, when they themselves are the wicked. God will be proved right.

Application

God is far more gracious than I truly understand. He wants men to be saved, so he warns and gives time for them to repent. He can't lose, because He does control everything. The wicked will be condemned, but He is in no hurry. I, on the other hand, want those who will not repent to be removed as soon as possible. I need to learn God's patience and graciousness.