February 18, 2026
Through the prophet Joel (Joel 2:12-17), God calls His people to return to Him sincerely and fully. Instead of outward rituals alone, God desires genuine repentance marked by humility and honesty. The people are invited to gather, pray, and seek God’s mercy, trusting in His gracious and compassionate nature.
Devotional: Ash Wednesday always asks us to slow down and tell the truth.
It arrives at a time when life is already busy and full, and it gently interrupts our routines with a simple, serious invitation: return to the Lord. Not tomorrow. Not someday when things calm down. Today.
Joel speaks those words to people who have drifted. They are still religious, still going through motions, but their hearts have grown distant. God does not ask them for louder prayers or bigger sacrifices. He asks for something deeper. “Return to me with all your heart.”
That is the kind of turning God wants, honest, humble, and real.
Ashes remind us that we are human and fragile. They tell the truth about our limits and our need for grace. But they also point toward hope. The same God who calls us to repentance promises to meet us with mercy. Joel describes Him as gracious, compassionate, slow to anger, and rich in love.
Repentance is not about shame. It is about coming home.
So often we think we need to fix ourselves before we can turn back to God. Joel says the opposite. We return first, just as we are, trusting that God will do the healing work inside us. Even the act of gathering together, praying together, and seeking God together becomes a sign of hope.
Ash Wednesday stands at the doorway of Lent and invites us to begin again. To look honestly at our lives. To name what needs to change. To admit where we have wandered. And to believe that God is ready to receive us.
The disciples saw Jesus’ glory on the mountain, but they also had to follow Him toward the cross. In the same way, we begin this season remembering both our need and God’s mercy. We face our brokenness, not in despair, but in trust.
God does not call us to perfection. He calls us to return.
And every sincere turning of the heart is met with open arms.
Action: Take a few minutes today to pray honestly about one area of your life that needs to be turned back toward God. Write it down as a simple prayer of return.
Prayer: Merciful God, we come to You as we are. We admit our failures, our distractions, and the ways we have wandered from Your heart. Thank You for calling us back with kindness instead of condemnation. Create in us sincere and humble hearts, and lead us through this season of Lent with honesty and hope. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.
Thought for the Day: Repentance is not punishment. It is an invitation to come home.
Ash Wednesday invites us to pause, reflect, and return to God with honest hearts. Joel 2:12–17 reminds us that repentance is not about shame or fear but about trusting in God’s compassion and mercy. Lent begins with the simple, hopeful truth that no matter how far we have wandered, God always welcomes us back.
