Friday, September 22
Have you seen how Ahab has humbled himself on my account?—1 Ki. 21:29.
Although Ahab humbled himself before Jehovah, his later conduct showed that he was not truly repentant. He did not try to remove Baal worship from his kingdom. And he did not promote the worship of Jehovah. After Ahab died, Jehovah revealed how he viewed that man. God’s prophet Jehu said he was “wicked.” (2 Chron. 19:1, 2) Now consider: If Ahab’s repentance had been genuine, surely the prophet would not have described him as a wicked man who hated Jehovah. Clearly, although Ahab had shown a degree of regret, he never fully repented. What can we learn from Ahab’s example? When he heard Elijah’s message of calamity against his family line, Ahab initially humbled himself. That was a good start. But his later actions showed that he was not repentant at heart. Repentance, then, must involve more than temporarily expressing sorrow. w21.10 3 ¶4-5, 7-8
Saturday, September 23
This good news of the Kingdom will be preached.—Matt. 24:14.
Isaiah was a prophet, and it may well be that his wife had her own prophetic assignments, since she is called “the prophetess.” (Isa. 8:1-4) As a couple, Isaiah and his wife were evidently focused on their worship of Jehovah. Married couples today can also build their life around serving Jehovah by doing all they can in his service. They can reinforce their trust in Jehovah by studying Bible prophecy together and seeing how it always comes true. (Titus 1:2) They can reflect on the share they can have in the fulfillment of certain Bible prophecies. For example, they can have a part in fulfilling Jesus’ prophecy that the good news will be preached in all the earth before the end comes. The more a couple are certain that Bible prophecy is coming true, the greater will be their determination to do as much as possible for Jehovah. w21.11 16 ¶9-10
Sunday, September 24
He said to the disciple: “See! Your mother!”—John 19:27.
Jesus was concerned about his mother, who was likely a widow. Moved by love and concern for Mary, Jesus entrusted her care to John, knowing that he would care for her spiritual welfare. From that day on, John became like a son to Mary and cared for her as if she were his mother. What love Jesus showed to the precious woman who had tenderly cared for him at his birth and was standing near him at his death! What can we learn from Jesus’ words? Our bond with our Christian brothers and sisters can be stronger than our ties to immediate family members. Our relatives may oppose us or even abandon us, but as Jesus promised, by sticking to Jehovah and His organization, we will “get 100 times more” than we have lost. Many will become to us like a loving son, daughter, mother, or father. (Mark 10:29, 30) How do you feel about being part of a spiritual family who are united by faith and love—love for Jehovah and for one another?—Col. 3:14; 1 Pet. 2:17. w21.04 9-11 ¶7-8