Coarse Burlap Pajamas

Coarse burlap pajamas don't sound very comfortable, do they? Not to me. Why do I bring that up. As I was getting ready to blog this morning, I looked up the passage I was setting my sights on in a variety of different translations. The phrase "coarse burlap pajamas" came from the Message translation and it definitely put a vivid picture in my head. Here's the passage in NIV:

²⁷ When Ahab heard these words, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and fasted. He lay in sackcloth and went around meekly.

²⁸ Then the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite: ²⁹ "Have you noticed how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he has humbled himself, I will not bring this disaster in his day, but I will bring it on his house in the days of his son."

1 Kings 21:27-29 (NIV)

Elijah had just delivered a stinging rebuke to King Ahab after Jezebel had Naboth killed so that Ahab could have Naboth's vineyard. How did Ahab respond to Elijah's rebuke? He repented. He ripped his royal garments and put on his coarse burlap pajamas. He fasted and moped around saddened by his sin. God noticed. God made sure that Elijah noticed, too. Ahab is spared of God's wrath for the moment. In the next chapter, he messes up again and ends up getting hit by a "lucky" shot from an enemy archer.

What, I wonder, does repentence look like in my life? I certainly don't go around wearing sackcloth. Can I get a good sackcloth gown at my local Christian book store? Am I truly saddened by my sin? Do people notice when I repent? Did they even notice that I sinned in the first place? God knows. Yes, God knows and that's good enough. When I think about repentence and think about how Ahab fasted while wearing his coarse burlap pajamas, I am reminded of what Jesus said about fasting in the sermon on the mount.

¹⁶"When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. ¹⁷But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, ¹⁸so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Matthew 6:16-18 (NIV)

Ahab sinned. He was a pretty evil King and his wife Jezebel didn't help point him in a godly direction. He even called Elijah, who spoke the word of God into his life, his enemy. Yet, when Elijah rebuked Ahab here in 1 Kings 21, Ahab repented. God knew what was in his heart and made sure that Elijah knew it too. God made sure that we knew it too.

Heavenly Father, I thank you that I know that I am a sinner. Help me when I am convicted of my sin to repent and be saddened by my sin. Help me to humble myself in Your eyes. Thank You that Jesus died for my sins. Help to, through Him, to live a life pleasing to You. Amen.