Daily Devotional For Monday, August 3, 2026
Good morning Southside! It’s Monday! Let’s all praise Him for all the great things He has done and continues to do for us. Our daily devotional for today comes from Zephaniah 3:1-5:
“What sorrow awaits rebellious, polluted Jerusalem, the city of violence and crime! (2) No one can tell it anything; it refuses all corrections. It does not trust in the Lord or draw near to its God. (3) Its leaders are like roaring lions hunting for their victims. Its judges are like ravenous wolves at evening time, who by dawn have left no trace of their prey. (4) Its prophets are arrogant liars seeking their own gain. Its priests defile the Temple by disobeying God’s instructions. (5) But the Lord is still there in the city, and he does no wrong. Day by day he hands down justice, and he does not fail. But the wicked know no shame” (NLT).
No one likes to get bad news, especially if it is about the death of a loved one or the devastation of a city by a tornado, hurricane or earthquake or the letting go from a job. Unfortunately, bad news is just a part of life as good news is. No one likes for their doctor to share bad news from medical tests. Our doctor is just as devastated to give us the bad news as we are when we receive it. Bad news is due to sin and evil in this world. No one likes to be the bearer of bad news either. I do not think Zephaniah had joy breaking this news to God’s people. By the time we get to Zephaniah 3, he has gone from preaching about sin, to now judgment and the promise of an eventual restoration.
As we read Zephaniah, it seems that Jerusalem had become no different than Nineveh of Assyria. From idolatry, defiance against the Lord, disobedience, immorality, and unrighteousness led mostly by Judah’s political and religious leaders, God was bringing judgment against her. Judah had become a bride that prostituted herself against her groom, the Lord. Like a wayward and disobedient child, God the parent was bringing discipline and judgment against His child. Judah’s biggest sin was her defiance. We see this in several ways:
- First, they refused to listen to God or His prophets to change.
- Second, they refused any correction from the Lord. Something Zephaniah will emphasize again in Zephaniah 3:6-7.
- Third, they refused to trust God. Instead they trust their alliances, wealth, military etc. to protect them. We see this in Zephaniah 1:4-13.
- Fourth, they refused the intimacy with the Lord so that they would not draw near to Him (Zeph, 3:2).
This sounds a lot like America today and sadly some churches. America and people in the pew will not listen to the Lord’s word, instead, they get angry at who brought it. This does not eliminate their guilt and sin, but only proves it. After David sinned and was confronted by the prophet Nathan for his sin of adultery and murder, the first words out of his mouth were, “I have sinned against the Lord” (2 Sam. 12:13). David did not blame Bathsheba or Uriah, he did not rationalize his sin, but confessed it. David wrote two psalms about this (Ps. 32 & Ps. 51). This is why in both the Old Testament and the New Testament David is called a “man after God’s own heart.” In Psalm 51, he writes this, “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise” (vs. 17, NLT).
Reflection Assignment: As you look at the four refusals above, do any of these characterize you? If so, in what ways? What should you do to be obedient and not defiant? If your answer is “No,” why are you so sure? Maybe you are refusing to listen to the Lord.
Scripture To Mediate On: James 1:2-25, “But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. (23) For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. (24) You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. (25) But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it” (NLT).
Prayer To Pray: “Dear Lord, “Please forgive me for being defiant and wanting my way over Your way. Please forgive me when I trust anything or anyone else other than You. I need You Lord. I want to be a doer of Your word, not just a hearer only. I love You Lord. In Jesus’ name, Amen!”
I love you Southside! – Pastor Kelly