The Open Heaven 13 December 2025 devotional for today is GOD HATES LAZINESS.
This is a daily devotion written by Pastor E. A. Adeboye, General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG).
OPEN HEAVEN 13 DECEMBER 2025 TODAY DEVOTIONAL
TOPIC: GOD HATES LAZINESS
MEMORISE:
Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.
Ecclesiastes 9:10
READ: Colossians 3:23-24:
23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;
24 Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 13 DECEMBER 2025 TODAY MESSAGE
Many people have misunderstood Genesis 2:2. They feel that God has been resting since it was recorded that He rested on the seventh day after His work of creation. However, in John 5:17, Jesus said, “My Father worketh hitherto, and I work,” meaning that God is not idle; He is busy. God is a diligent God, and He never sleeps nor slumbers (Psalm 121:4).
When you read through the Bible, you will notice that God always chose diligent people whenever He needed to use men for His agenda on the earth.
When you read the account of how Jesus chose His disciples, you will see that they were all busy at work when He called them. Peter was fishing in his boat, and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee (Mark 1:16-20). Matthew was sitting at a tax collector’s booth when Jesus asked him to follow Him (Matthew 9:9). God never calls or anoints lazy people; He calls diligent and prudent people because He hates laziness.
Lazy people cannot get the best from God. This is because they will waste whatever resources He gives to them, and He doesn’t like wastage. Whatever is in the hands of a lazy person will not be maintained or nurtured properly.
In Proverbs 24:30-31, Solomon said:
I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding; And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down.
If a fellow’s room is always rough and dirty, that is a sign that he or she is lazy. If a person does not always meet up with his or her deliverables at work, school, or in ministry, it is also a sign of laziness.
Another symptom of laziness is recorded in Proverbs 26:13:
The slothful man saith, There is a lion in the way; a lion is in the streets.
If a person always talks about doing something important, but he or she is always giving one excuse or the other for not doing it yet, it means that he or she is lazy.
Beloved, God will not give you His resources or take you to great heights if you are lazy.
Evaluate your life in all humility, and if you find any of the symptoms of laziness that I discussed above, make genuine efforts to effect the necessary changes today and make diligence your watchword from henceforth.
KEY POINT
Make diligence your watchword.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
2 Thessalonians 1-3
HYMN 32: TO THE WORK! TO THE WORK! WE ARE SERVANTS OF GOD
OPEN HEAVEN DEVOTIONAL 13 DECEMBER 2025 COMMENTARY
MEMORISE: Ecclesiastes 9:10
“Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.”
This is a divine mandate for energetic, wholehearted engagement in life. It emphasizes the urgency and totality of our effort—”with thy might.” Our earthly life is the only arena for productive labor; eternity is for reward and rest. Therefore, diligence is not optional; it is the stewardship of our divinely allotted time and opportunity.
BIBLE READING: Colossians 3:23-24
This passage provides the Christian’s motive and motivation for diligence:
v.23: “And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men.” This elevates all labor to sacred service. The quality of our work becomes an offering to Christ, done “heartily” (from the soul, with passion).
v.24: “Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.” Our ultimate employer and rewarder is Christ Himself. Earthly recognition is secondary; the “inheritance” is the primary reward.
The Divine Ethic of Diligence
Pastor E.A. Adeboye confronts the myth of a dormant God to establish a core kingdom principle: God is a worker, and He partners with workers. The devotional systematically defines God’s nature, exposes the fallacy of laziness, and provides a clear diagnostic for self-evaluation, urging a life of purposeful energy as our spiritual duty and pathway to blessing.
1. The Nature of God: The Archetype of Diligence
The Misconception of a Resting God:
Genesis 2:2 describes God ceasing from His creative work, not from all activity. Jesus corrects this misunderstanding in John 5:17: “My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.” God is perpetually active in sustaining creation, executing justice, orchestrating redemption, and answering prayer.
The Ever-Watchful God:
Psalm 121:4 declares, “He that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.” God’s diligent watchfulness over His people is the model for our own stewardship. He is the ultimate diligent guardian; we are called to be diligent stewards.
2. God’s Recruitment Policy: He Chooses Workers
The Calling of the Busy:
Jesus did not call His disciples from the marketplace idlers or the synagogue’s passive attendees. He called them from their work: Peter, James, and John from their nets; Matthew from his tax booth. God’s call is not an escape from labor but a redirection of labor into His service. Proven diligence in natural affairs often precedes a spiritual assignment.
The Rejection of Sloth:
“God never calls or anoints lazy people.” This is a non-negotiable divine principle. Anointing is oil for motion; it is given to those already moving in faithful stewardship. Laziness is a character flaw that disqualifies one from greater trust (Proverbs 12:24).
3. The Anatomy and Symptoms of Laziness
The Fruit of Sloth: Waste and Decay (Proverbs 24:30-31):
Laziness is not mere inactivity; it is active neglect leading to ruin. The overgrown field and broken wall symbolize unfulfilled potential, lost opportunities, and vulnerability to attack. Whatever God entrusts to a lazy person will depreciate.
Diagnostic Symptoms:
Pastor Adeboye provides a practical checklist for self-evaluation:
- Domestic Disorder: A perpetually rough and dirty personal space.
- Unreliability: Consistently failing to meet deadlines or deliverables in work, school, or ministry.
- The Procrastinator’s Excuse (Proverbs 26:13): Inventing imaginary, exaggerated obstacles (“a lion in the streets”) to avoid starting or completing important tasks. Constant excuse-making is the language of sloth.
4. The Consequences and Cure for Laziness
The Consequence: Disqualification from Greater Trust:
“God will not give you His resources or take you to great heights if you are lazy.” This is a law of the kingdom. The “talents” in Matthew 25 are taken from the unproductive servant and given to the one who has been most diligent. Divine promotion follows demonstrated faithfulness.
The Cure: Honest Evaluation and Immediate Change:
The remedy begins with humility. One must “Evaluate your life in all humility,” using the biblical symptoms as a mirror. This is followed by “genuine efforts to effect the necessary changes today.”Diligence must become a conscious, chosen “watchword”—a governing principle for all of life.
How to Cultivate a Life of Godly Diligence
1. Redefine Your Work as Worship:
Internalize Colossians 3:23-24. Approach every task—from menial to majestic—as an act of service directly to Christ. This sanctifies your labor and fuels “heartily” effort.
2. Break Tasks into Actionable Steps:
Overcome the “lion in the street” excuse by deconstructing large, daunting projects into small, manageable actions. Start with the first step, no matter how small.
3. Implement Immediate Discipline:
Begin with your physical environment. Commit to order and cleanliness in your personal space. This trains the muscle of discipline that translates to spiritual and professional realms.
4. Seek Accountability:
Share your goals and deadlines with a trustworthy, diligent friend or mentor who will ask you about your progress. This provides an external check against procrastination.
Warning: The High Cost of Spiritual Sloth
Laziness in spiritual disciplines (prayer, Bible study, evangelism) is even more perilous than natural laziness. It leads to a life of spiritual poverty, weakness against temptation, and squandered divine purpose. The “broken down wall” leaves you exposed to enemy attacks. You cannot be lazy with your soul and expect to thrive in God.
Conclusion: Embracing Your Mandate as a Co-Laborer
Pray this:
“Almighty God, my ever-working Father, forgive me for every trace of slothfulness in my life. Expose every ‘lion’ of excuse I have created. Fill me with Your energetic Spirit. Help me to do everything I find to do with all my might, as an offering to You. Make me a diligent, trustworthy steward, worthy of greater responsibility in Your kingdom, for the glory of Christ my Lord. Amen.”
Action Steps:
- Conduct a Diligence Audit: This week, use the three symptoms from the devotional (disorder, unreliability, excuse-making) to evaluate one area of your life (home, work, ministry). Write down one corrective action for each symptom you find.
- Study a Diligent Hero: Read about the diligence of Nehemiah, who rebuilt the wall amidst opposition, or the Proverbs 31 woman. Note their planning, effort, and God-honoring energy.
- Practice the ‘Do It Now’ Principle: For the next three days, immediately complete one small task you have been putting off (e.g., a phone call, organizing a drawer, replying to an email). Let it build momentum.
Remember: Your life is a field given to you by God. Diligence is the tool that cultivates it into a harvest. Laziness allows the thorns of regret and wasted potential to take over.
“The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing: but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat”(Proverbs 13:4). Choose this day to be a partner in God’s ongoing work, and you will partake in His abundant reward.
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