Never Too Far

"So now the Lord says, 'I will bring disaster on you (King Ahab) and consume you ... for you have made me very angry and have led Israel into sin.' ... But when Ahab heard this message, he tore his clothing, dressed in burlap, and fasted. He even slept in burlap and went about in deep mourning."  I Kings 21:21,27

There are regrets and then there are deep regrets. Deep regrets haunt us. We don't want to think about them, talk about them or even remember they ever existed. Normal regrets are bad enough, but the deep regrets leave us wondering if forgiveness is truly possible. Something inside of us crumbles at the sight of the devastation caused by choices we've made. Is there any hope? 

King Ahab was a mess. His rebellion against God was thorough and unending. He worshiped idols. He stole. He murdered. He encouraged his people to turn away from God. His wife Jezebel was right there to fuel his rebellion against God. Along came God's prophet to tell Ahab that he was about to experience God's furious judgment. His response? Humble repentance. God's response? Gracious mercy. 

The deep regret does not have to be the end of our story. It doesn't need to be the specter that haunts our every step or shuts us down from deepening our relationship with God now. No, we are not defined by what we have done, but rather by what Jesus has done. His goodness has supplanted our badness. If we are in Jesus today, we are in a good place. It's time for our lives to reflect that reality.


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