The God Who Relents In Response To Repentance

” . . . The LORD relented concerning this: “It shall not be,” said the LORD.” (Amos 7:3)

Many years ago the Prophet Amos pleaded for God’s mercy on behalf of a rebellious Israel. Amos knew that if God were to carry through on His plans the nation would be devastated.

In response to the prayer of Amos, God relented and did not carry through with His announced plan to discipline the nation. This pattern of God’s people repenting and God, in His mercy relenting, appears several times in the Scriptures. In these passages we see God described as relenting.

Just what does it mean that God relents?

In one sense this seems odd for it to be said that God relents, because we know that God is sovereign (ultimately in control of the entire universe) and omniscient (knowing everything and every outcome in advance). Also, we realize that God is never surprised by our choices or our responses.  So what could possibly be meant by the Scriptures pointing out that God, at times, relents?

Several Old Testament passages reveal how God promises beforehand that He will relent if the people will: change, mend their ways, turn from evil and repent. Then as the people turn back, God refrains from carrying through with His previously pronounced and pending judgment. Our God out of His abundant compassion, mercy and forgiveness . . . relents.

What insight can we gain from this? We learn that when we turn away from our sin and turn toward our God in sincere repentance, we have a Heavenly Father that will deal gently and mercifully with us.

Jonah, God’s reluctant missionary to Nineveh, had the opportunity to be an up-close witness of the God who relents in response to repentance. “When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God relented of the disaster that He had said He would do to them, and He did not do it.  But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was angry. And he prayed to the LORD and said, ‘O LORD, is not this what I said when I was yet in my country? That is why I made haste to flee to Tarshish; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster.'”  (Jonah 3:10-4:2).

In Psalm 106 we are reminded that we worship a God who is always alert and intently listening for the for our humble cry for mercy. “Nevertheless, He looked upon their distress, when He heard their cry. For their sake He remembered His covenant, and relented according to the abundance of His steadfast love”  (44-45).

Oh Lord, God Almighty, Sovereign Ruler of all and Shepherd King, I am in desperate need of your redeeming grace. I confess my many thoughts, words and deeds of sinfulness to you, both actions committed by me in thoughtlessness or selfishness and those actions of good left undone by me because of sloth or lack of mercy on my part. May your grace pour down, yes, rain down on me. Forgive, cleanse, renew me. Kyrie Eleison . . . Lord, have mercy! Christ have mercy. Lord have mercy on me! Amen and Amen.

God’s Best,

Dar