Week of February 15th, 2026

Encouragement from God's Word

Amos 5:4–5, 14-15
This is what the LORD says to the house of Israel:
“Seek me and live;
do not seek Bethel,
do not go to Gilgal,
do not journey to Beersheba.
For Gilgal will surely go into exile,
and Bethel will be reduced to nothing.”
. . . Seek good, not evil,
that you may live.
Then the LORD God Almighty will be with you,
just as you say he is.
Hate evil, love good.

As we pause for another Ash Wednesday, a day to repent, these words remind us that repentant is not what we do. In these verses God addressed the fact that the people thought that pilgrimages and journeys to Bethel, Gilgal, or Beersheba were what was required. By these acts, people hoped to appease God.

But repentance is not a pilgrimage or anything that we do. Repentance begins with confession. We must admit the truth of our sins to God. Then, we do not earn God’s forgiveness and love; we receive it. We receive forgiveness through faith. “Seek me and live,” God said. Faith connects us to the grace of God – which we know was completed by Jesus Christ. Receive this free gift of God’s forgiveness. That is repentance.

Of course, God’s gift of grace leads us to do something. “Hate evil, love good.” Your priorities and attitudes are realigned by Jesus. You want to do things that please God. While living in a way that pleases God does not add anything to the free gift of forgiveness, it is a natural result of God’s grace.

This Ash Wednesday, receive God’s grace through faith in Jesus. Then respond to that grace in how you live as God’s holy child – renewed and purified.