The Open Heavens 13 May 2026 devotional for today is MIND YOUR FOOTPRINTS I.
This is a daily devotion written by Pastor E. A. Adeboye, General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG).
OPEN HEAVENS 13 MAY 2026 TODAY DEVOTIONAL
TOPIC: MIND YOUR FOOTPRINTS I
MEMORISE
Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.
Hebrews 12:1
READ: Galatians 6:7-8
7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
RCCG OPEN HEAVENS 13 MAY 2026 TODAY MESSAGE
All human beings on earth leave their footprints in the sands of time. While some leave negative footprints, others leave positive ones. The actions you take today are the footprints you are leaving behind, and they will determine your future.
Today’s Bible reading says that you will reap whatever you sow. Just as you cannot plant onions and expect to reap apples, you must be intentional about the seeds you sow in your journey through life if you want to get the best out of your time on the earth. You must act and speak carefully every day to ensure that you do not jeopardise your future by sowing the wrong seeds.
In this age and time, one of the popular places a fellow can leave negative footprints is on the internet. There is even a popular saying that the internet never forgets. You should be mindful of the things you post on social media and your communication on the internet in general. Posting negative content and portraying inappropriate behaviour online might come back to haunt you later in future. However, if your digital footprint is good, you will not need to worry about any negative impact.
Today’s memory verse says that we are surrounded by a cloud of witnesses. Many people think that this refers to the hosts of heaven alone.
However, the devil and his agents are also watching every move you make, and they are on the lookout for any mistake they can use against you in the future. Furthermore, your fellow human beings are also part of the cloud of witnesses that are observing every move you make.
Beloved, do not think you can do some things in secret without anyone knowing about them. Even if no one sees you, God sees you, and the hosts of heaven are recording all your actions.
In Jeremiah 17:10, God said, “The LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.” He is constantly looking at your heart and evaluating your thoughts and actions. Therefore, you must ensure that you renew your mind daily with His word (Romans 12:2) and honour Him with your actions (Colossians 3:17).
Make a commitment today to never engage in anything that will have a negative effect on your future. I pray that the Lord will continually guide you to do the right things at the right time, in Jesus’ name.
KEY POINT
Do not be deceived; you shall reap whatever you sow.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
2 Chronicles 21-24
Open Heavens HYMN 33: GUIDE ME, O THOU GREAT JEHOVAH!
OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL 13 MAY 2026 COMMENTARY
Here is the detailed commentary and interpretation for today’s devotional.
MEMORISE: Hebrews 12:1
“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.”
This verse describes the Christian life as a race. The “cloud of witnesses” refers to the faithful heroes of chapter 11—Abraham, Moses, Rahab, and others who have finished their races. They are not just spectators; they are evidence that finishing is possible. Their lives testify that you can run and win. But the verse also warns that weights and sins will slow you down. To finish well, you must lay them aside.
BIBLE READING: Galatians 6:7-8
“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.”
This passage states one of the most unbreakable laws in the universe: the law of sowing and reaping. You cannot mock God by thinking you can plant one thing and harvest another. If you sow to the flesh—indulging sin, selfishness, and worldliness—you will reap corruption. If you sow to the Spirit—obedience, righteousness, and generosity—you will reap everlasting life. The law is absolute. The harvest is certain.
The Footprints You Leave Behind
In today’s devotional, Pastor E.A. Adeboye (Daddy Adeboye) continues his series on longevity and finishing well. He has covered many secrets: hiding, fighting, running, refueling, rest, avoiding the devil’s traps, enduring persecution, and using the name of Jesus. Today he addresses a sobering reality: the footprints you leave in the sands of time. Your actions today become your legacy tomorrow. And you will reap exactly what you have sown.
The Inescapable Law of Sowing and Reaping
The devotional begins with a simple agricultural principle: you cannot plant onions and expect to reap apples. The seed determines the harvest. This is not punishment—it is physics. It is not God being angry—it is God being consistent.
Galatians 6:7-8 makes three things clear:
1. Do not be deceived. You cannot fool God. You cannot cheat the system. You cannot sow sin and somehow avoid its consequences.
2. God is not mocked. The word “mocked” means to turn up your nose or treat with contempt. When you think you can sin without reaping, you are mocking God. He will not be mocked.
3. You will reap what you sow. Not what you intend. Not what you hope. Not what you pray. What you actually plant. Your harvest is the inevitable result of your planting.
The Digital Footprint: A Modern Warning
The devotional addresses a contemporary reality: the internet never forgets. What you post on social media, what you comment, what you share, what you like—these become digital footprints that can follow you for decades.
- A careless post made in anger at 19 can cost you a job at 35.
- An inappropriate photo shared in a moment of foolishness can disqualify you from leadership at 50.
- A public argument with a brother or sister can be screenshotted and used against you years later.
“Posting negative content and portraying inappropriate behavior online might come back to haunt you later in future.”
But the reverse is also true. If your digital footprint is good—if you have used your online presence to encourage, teach, and glorify God—you will not need to worry. Your past will not rise up to shame you.
The Cloud of Witnesses Is Larger Than You Think
The memory verse speaks of a “cloud of witnesses.” Many believers think this refers only to the heroes of faith in heaven—the angels, the departed saints, the heavenly host.
But the devotional expands this: “The devil and his agents are also watching every move you make, and they are on the lookout for any mistake they can use against you in the future. Furthermore, your fellow human beings are also part of the cloud of witnesses that are observing every move you make.”
This means:
- Angels are watching. They record your obedience and cheer you on.
- Demons are watching. They wait for an opening to accuse and attack.
- People are watching. Your children, your spouse, your colleagues, your neighbors—they see what you do in public and sometimes in private.
You are never alone. You are never unobserved. Someone is always watching.
The God Who Searches the Heart
The devotional quotes Jeremiah 17:10: “The LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.”
This is perhaps the most sobering truth of all. Even if no human sees you, even if the devil misses it, even if the angels look away—God sees. He does not just observe your actions; He searches your heart. He examines your motives, your thoughts, your secret desires.
- You may fool your pastor, but you cannot fool God.
- You may hide from your spouse, but you cannot hide from Him.
- You may delete the post, but He remembers.
- You may rewrite history, but He was there.
God is constantly looking at your heart and evaluating your thoughts and actions.
How to Sow Good Seeds
If you want to leave positive footprints and reap a good harvest, here is what you must do:
1. Renew Your Mind Daily (Romans 12:2)
Your actions come from your thoughts, and your thoughts come from what you feed your mind. If you feed on the world, you will think like the world and act like the world. But if you renew your mind with God’s word, you will think like God and act like God. Daily Bible reading is not optional—it is the plow that prepares your soil for good seed.
2. Honor God with Your Actions (Colossians 3:17)
“Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus.” Not just on Sunday. Not just in church. In everything—work, home, online, in private, in public—do it as if Jesus is standing beside you. Because He is.
3. Be Intentional About Your Seed
You do not accidentally sow good seed. You must be intentional. Plan to speak kindly. Plan to act honestly. Plan to post uplifting content. Plan to help others. The harvest does not happen by accident; neither does the planting.
4. Guard Your Digital Footprint
Before you post, ask: Would I want this on the front page of a newspaper? Would I want my children to read this in ten years? Would I be ashamed if Jesus returned while I was typing this? If the answer gives you pause, do not post.
5. Remember That Nothing Is Secret
Even if no human sees, God sees. Even if no one finds out in this life, the judgment seat of Christ will reveal everything. Live today as if everything you do will be broadcast to the universe—because one day, it will be.
What Kind of Footprints Are You Leaving?
The devotional asks a question that every believer must answer:
- Are you leaving footprints of righteousness or rebellion?
- Are you sowing seeds of peace or conflict?
- Are you building a legacy of faithfulness or a history of compromise?
- Will those who come after you be blessed by your footprints or burdened by them?
“The actions you take today are the footprints you are leaving behind, and they will determine your future.”
Conclusion: Run to Win, Not Just to Finish
The memory verse calls us to run with patience the race set before us. But running is not enough. You must run in such a way as to win. You must lay aside every weight and sin. You must sow to the Spirit, not to the flesh.
Do not be deceived. God is not mocked. What you sow, you will reap.
- Sow righteousness, and reap honor.
- Sow kindness, and reap friendship.
- Sow generosity, and reap abundance.
- Sow to the Spirit, and reap life everlasting.
Make a commitment today to never engage in anything that will have a negative effect on your future.
Pray this:
“Father, I thank You that Your law of sowing and reaping is unbreakable. Forgive me for the times I have sown to my flesh, thinking I could avoid the harvest. Help me to be intentional about every seed I plant—in my words, my actions, my online presence, and my private life. Let me leave footprints that will bless the generation to come. I commit to renewing my mind daily with Your word. Guide me to do the right things at the right time. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
Action Steps:
- Review your digital footprint: Go through your social media accounts from the past year. Delete anything that does not honor God or that you would be ashamed for others to see.
- Examine your private life: Is there any secret behavior that would embarrass you if exposed? Confess it and turn from it today.
- Be intentional about sowing: This week, deliberately plant one seed of kindness, one seed of generosity, and one seed of encouragement. Do not wait for opportunity—create it.
- Remember the witnesses: Before you act or speak today, remind yourself: angels, demons, people, and God are watching. Let that awareness shape your choices.
- Run with patience: The race is long. Do not give up because the harvest seems slow. Keep sowing. Keep running. The reaping will come.
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