Daily Devotional For Friday, July 31, 2026
Good morning Southside. Your weekend is almost here. Our daily devotion for today comes from Jeremiah 5:23-24a:
“But My people have stubborn and rebellious hearts. They have turned away and abandoned Me. (24) They do not say from the heart, ‘Let us live in awe of the LORD our God’” (NLT).
If you have noticed, this seems to be a running theme on the life of Judah in the Old Testament. It seems strange that the people in Jerusalem and Judah were this sinful and evil. God had told Jeremiah that He was going to destroy the city of Jerusalem, but He would withhold His anger IF Jeremiah could find one righteous man. Just one. Not 10, not 100 – just one. We see this in Jeremiah 5:1. Sadly, not one could be found. This reminds us of Solomon’s words in Ecclesiastes 7:20 and Paul’s words in Romans 3:9-12, where he quotes David’s words in Psalms 4:1-3. In theological terms, we call this The Doctrine of Total Depravity.
One righteous man? This is why the New Testament writers take such pains to prove that Jesus was that one righteous man so that we would not have to experience the wrath of God. In the Gospels, sometimes it is the most unlikely person to recognize who Jesus was and is. In Mark’s Gospel we see this from a demon in Mark 1:24. In the Book of Acts, Peter does this in Acts 3:14. In the Book of Acts, Stephen does this in Acts 7:52. The Apostle John affirms this about Jesus in 1 John 2:1-2. When the religious leaders were attempting to plot against Jesus to kill Him, Caiaphas affirmed this in John’s Gospel in John 11:50.
Whether we want to admit it or not, none of us are good and righteous on our own. We are sinners, who rebel against a holy God. We have abandoned the Lord, not the other way around. We are the ones who do not live in awe of the Lord and many times even as Christians. To stand in awe of the Lord, we always approach Him with the attitude that God and us are not equals or on the same level. There is a fear in us because He is God. We have the same attitude and fear of Isaiah in Isaiah 6:5. We see this same attitude in Peter in Luke 5:8.
You may be wondering, OK PK, what do we do with passages such as 2 Timothy 1:7 and Hebrews 4:16? It is amazing the same John who says, “Love casts out all fear,” also wrote these words in Revelation 1:17. Yes, love does cast out all fear, but love does not cast out all fear, the kind of fear that involves punishment as 1 John 4:18 says. There is a kind of fear of the Lord all of us are to have and it is expressed in Deuteronomy 10:12-13.
When I became an adult, I was not an adult like my own mother. But, I knew where the line was even as her adult child. I never as an adult approached my mother as I would my close friends. There was a respect, a reverence and awe of who she was to me. Yes, God is our heavenly Father, but there is a line and we better never forget where that line is. Though He is our friend, this friendship is not the same as our friendships here on earth. There is a line and we are better for remembering where that line is. This proves we stand in awe of Him.
Reflection Assignment: How is your attitude towards God throughout the day? Are you in awe of who He is or do you approach Him as you do most other people throughout your day? What to you does it mean to be in awe of the Lord and does that describe you? Why or why not?
Scripture To Meditate On: Hebrews 12:28-29, “Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe; (29) for our God is a consuming fire” (NASB).
Prayer To Pray: “Dear Lord, give me a heart that stands in awe of You. Please forgive me when I forget where the line is. Please forgive me when I treat you relationally as I do everyone. I want to be that one who loves You with all my heart, soul, mind and strength. I love You Lord. In Jesus’ name, Amen!”
I love you Southside! – Pastor Kelly