September 28, 2026
Ezekiel tells Israel that when someone turns away from sin and begins walking in God’s ways, that person will live. God does not delight in destruction or in holding people captive to their past. His desire is that people turn from the path leading away from Him and find life.
Devotional
Sometimes we remember our failures better than we remember God’s mercy.
We can look backward and see choices we regret, opportunities we missed, relationships we damaged, or long stretches when we ignored God. Even after we begin walking with Him again, we may quietly wonder whether the past still has the stronger claim on us.
Ezekiel gives us another picture.
God does not say, “You made your choice, and now you are stuck with it.” He calls people to turn. His desire is life.
That matters because repentance is sometimes described in ways that make it sound like punishment. We imagine God waiting for us to come crawling back so He can make sure we understand how badly we failed. But the God revealed in Scripture calls us back because He wants to restore us.
The first son in Jesus’ parable knew something about that. He had already given his answer. It was no. Yet his first answer did not lock him into his refusal. He could reconsider. He could turn. He could still go into the vineyard.
So can we.
Turning does not mean the past disappears. There may still be consequences to face. Trust may need to be rebuilt. An apology may be necessary. Some habits may take a long time to change. Grace does not pretend those things are unimportant.
Grace means we do not face them alone, and they do not get to become the final word over our lives.
Sometimes the hardest part of repentance is believing that we really are allowed to turn. Shame tells us to stay where we are because we should have known better. Grace tells us to get up and start walking toward God.
God is not asking you to rewrite yesterday.
He is inviting you to give Him today.
Action
Identify one area of your life where you know a change of direction is needed. Do not try to solve everything at once. Ask God to show you the first faithful step, and take that step today.
Prayer
Merciful God, thank You that You do not hold me captive to who I used to be. When I have wandered, call me home. When I have resisted You, soften my heart. Give me courage to turn without hiding behind shame, fear, or excuses. Help me trust that Your grace is stronger than my past and that You are still leading me toward life. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
Thought for the Day
God’s invitation to repent is an invitation to life, not an invitation to shame.
Ezekiel reminds us that God does not delight in keeping people trapped beneath the weight of yesterday. His desire is that we turn and live. Repentance is not about proving how sorry we are. It is about responding to the grace that continues calling us forward. Whatever yesterday looked like, God can still receive our yes today.
