Mercy and Humility (1 Kings 21:27–29)

And when Ahab heard those words, he tore his clothes and put sackcloth on his flesh and fasted and lay in sackcloth and went about dejectedly. And the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, “Have you seen how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he has humbled himself before me, I will not bring the disaster in his days; but in his son’s days I will bring the disaster upon his house.”
—1 Kings 21:27–29

What a picture. You read 1 Kings 21 and all the evil things Ahab did, all the ways he defied God and led the people into idolatry and the worship of all kinds of gods.

And yet in these verses, we hear about how Ahab tore his clothes, put sackcloth on his flesh, and fasted and went about dejectedly, humbling himself before God. And God says to Elijah, “Have you seen how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he’s humbled himself, I will not bring the disaster in his days.” And I read this and I think: after all that Ahab did, he did not deserve this kind of mercy. And then I immediately realize: neither do I, and neither do you. That’s the meaning of mercy—it’s totally undeserved. And isn’t it an awesome thought that you and I deserve the just judgment of God, just as Ahab and every other person in the world has?

We have defied God. We’ve worshiped other gods instead of the one true God. We have done evil. We have rebelled against God. And yet God, being rich in mercy, has sent his Son to die on a cross for our sins so that when we humble ourselves before him—when we confess our sin in the humility of our hearts and turn and repent of it—we can be saved from eternal disaster, from everlasting death. Oh God, we praise you all over again today for the gospel. Jesus, we praise you for the cross. We praise you for taking our sin and evil and rebellion and idolatry upon yourself. We praise you for dying on the cross for our sins and rising from the dead in victory over sin so that we might receive your mercy. God, we praise you for calling us your sons and daughters—something we certainly do not deserve. All glory be to your name, O God. We praise you, we worship you, we exalt you for your mercy, which we don’t deserve.

And we pray, God, help us to live with humility before you all day long today and tomorrow and every day. Help us to humbly seek you and hear from you and obey you. God, help us to humbly share the gospel with others that they might experience your mercy. God, help us to have mercy on others by sharing the good news of your mercy with them.

A Prayer for the Tuareg People

Oh God, we pray for the spread of your mercy all around the world. We pray for the Tuareg people of Algeria and Niger and Libya. God, for 156,000 of them who have little to no knowledge of your grace, your love in Jesus, your mercy: God, have mercy on the Tuareg people that they might be reached with your love in Christ.

And, God, we pray that you’d help us to live as a reflection of your mercy to the nations and to our neighborhoods—to the people right around us today—as we have been shown such mercy. God, make us merciful people all day long today as ones who have been shown such astounding mercy.

And, God, we pray for humility. May we not be proud people today. May we live as people who humbled ourselves before you and received your mercy. In Jesus’ name we pray all these things. Amen.