It’s hard to feel good about King Ahab. He was Elijah’s constant enemy (I Kings 18:17) and an idolater (16:31, 21:26), and he was a co-conspirator in the murder of Naboth, with the goal of claiming Naboth’s vineyard for himself (21:7-15). One might well suppose that God would just give Ahab over to his own lostness. But instead we find that after all Ahab’s wrongness God was still trying to draw him back.

A prophet from the Lord came to Ahab to encourage him that God would give him victory (I Kings 20:13-22). Then a man of God was sent with a similar message of deliverance, and the promise that “you will know that I am the Lord” (20:28). But Ahab was less interested in knowing God than he was in getting his own way, and sullen and resentful when he did not get it (20:43, 21:4) – whether it was a political alliance or his neighbor’s vineyard.

And this astonishing thing: when Elijah delivered the words of judgment against Ahab (21:20-24), he actually tried his best to repent: “when Ahab heard these words, he tore his clothes and put sackcloth over his bare flesh; he fasted, lay in the sackcloth, and went about dejectedly” (21:27). And God saw his repentance, and held off on the looming disaster, at least for a time (21:29).

It is hard to suppose there could be yet one more second chance for someone who was as unfaithful as Ahab. Yet God kept after him, with abundant opportunities for repentance. And Ahab – Ahab! – responded by humbling himself before the Lord.

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In the midst of our sin you keep seeking us, O Lord: and our record of response is quite poor. Yet again and again you call us back to yourself, and even then we have so often muffed the opportunity. We pray for the grace of genuine repentance, that we may learn to live in accordance with your will.