The secret of winning God’s heart

It is sometimes jokingly said of men that the way to their heart is through their stomach. Give them a good meal and they’ll love you forever! But what about God? What is the secret to winning God’s heart? Our human impulse is to think that doing some great heroic deed, something good and magnanimous is what will make God happy with us. The truth, however, is that nothing we can do is good enough because the Lord is too pure. Our actions are tainted by our selfishness and sinful nature, so that our best deeds are like filthy rags (Isa 64:6). The answer, as we shall see, is quite simple, though harder to do than it looks.

God’s justice

We left Ahab’s story last time at the point where the king could take possession of the coveted vineyard, but his pleasure in it is short-lived. God knows the injustice done to Naboth and Ahab has no excuse even if he pleads ignorance of the method for acquiring the land. Elijah, who disappeared from view in the last chapter, now confronts the king. Ahab is held responsible for murder and theft, even if he did not kill with his own hands (1 Kings 21:19). The prophet speaks a verdict of measure for measure: what happened to Naboth will happen to Ahab (v.19). Elijah also pronounces wider judgment on the king and his descendants that echoes the fate of the two idolatrous dynasties before his (Jeroboam’s and Baasha’s; 1 Kings 21:21-24; 14:11; 16:4). While Ahab’s sin is not spelt out, the language of provocation to anger and making Israel sin (v.22) indicates idolatry. Once again, God’s justice is evident in the identical punishment on the same sin.

The God who sees our heart

Ahab’s reaction is initially antagonism. Just as he earlier called Elijah ‘a troubler of Israel’ (1 Kings 18:17), he now sees in him his enemy (1 Kings 21:20). In each instance, he lays the blame on the prophet, first by causing trouble in Israel (with the drought) and second, for his current animosity towards the king. Ahab treats the issue as if Elijah’s prophecy originated in personal hostility. In other words, he refuses to take responsibility. He comes across as a weak character under the thumb of his wife (1 Kings 21:25). Nevertheless, when he hears the full verdict, he is stricken. Tearing the clothes, putting on sackcloth and fasting are signs of mourning, often done in moments of repentance (1 Kings 21:27). God has finally got through to Ahab and he submits to Him in humility. It may not look like much, and his attitude will be short-lived and not followed by wholesale change in worship, God acknowledges what is in his heart and there is a deferral of judgment (1 Kings 21:29). The God who saw evil done also notices even the smallest attempt at turning towards Him.

The way to God’s heart

The way to God’s heart seems to be submission and repentance, acknowledging His sovereignty and that He is right in His verdict of us. It is a simple act that anyone can do, yet everything in our rebellious, sinful nature fights against it. One only needs to read people’s autobiographies to realise that we always put the best interpretations on our actions and motivation. We want to look good even to ourselves, so that acknowledging that we are rotten to the core is hard. It involves humility, letting go of our delusions about ourselves, the stories we tell to appear in the best light to others and ourselves. For the exiles reading their history, it must have been a reminder that even from the darkest sins there can be a return to God. Yet, Ahab’s story is also a warning because the king never moved beyond that initial step and soon, he will be tempted back into the cycle of self-will and blaming others. May we follow through on our repentance and turn wholeheartedly to God when we realise our sin.

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