Daily Devotion

This daily devotion is based on the Morning Office. It comes with selected readings from the appointed Psalm and another Scripture text, accompanied by reflections and prayers. There is an audio option. This devotion is suitable for personal and family devotions. It will be best to both read and listen. The link to the entire Morning Office today is provided at the end of each devotion. This project started on Ash Wednesday, 2025 and are offered for weekdays only. 

26th March – Around His Waist.

Audio

Prepare

Today is Wednesday, the 26th of March. We will start with the collect for Ash Wednesday:

Almighty and everlasting God,
you hate nothing that you have made
and forgive the sins of all those who are penitent:
create and make in us new and contrite hearts
that we, worthily lamenting our sins
and acknowledging our wretchedness,
may receive from you, the God of all mercy,
perfect remission and forgiveness;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
one God, now and for ever.
Amen.

Psalm Reading

The appointed Psalm for today is Psalm 38. Reading verses 15 to 22:

¹⁵ Lord, I wait for you;
    you will answer, Lord my God.
¹⁶ For I said, “Do not let them gloat
    or exalt themselves over me when my feet slip.”

¹⁷ For I am about to fall,
    and my pain is ever with me.
¹⁸ I confess my iniquity;
    I am troubled by my sin.
¹⁹ Many have become my enemies without cause;
    those who hate me without reason are numerous.
²⁰ Those who repay my good with evil
    lodge accusations against me,
    though I seek only to do what is good.

²¹ Lord, do not forsake me;
    do not be far from me, my God.
²² Come quickly to help me,
    my Lord and my Savior.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
as It was in the beginning, is
now, and shall be forever. Amen.

Scripture Reading

Jeremiah 13:1-11

 This is what the Lord said to me: “Go and buy a linen belt and put it around your waist, but do not let it touch water.” ² So I bought a belt, as the Lord directed, and put it around my waist.

³ Then the word of the Lord came to me a second time: ⁴ “Take the belt you bought and are wearing around your waist, and go now to Perath and hide it there in a crevice in the rocks.” ⁵ So I went and hid it at Perath, as the Lord told me.

⁶ Many days later the Lord said to me, “Go now to Perath and get the belt I told you to hide there.” ⁷ So I went to Perath and dug up the belt and took it from the place where I had hidden it, but now it was ruined and completely useless.

⁸ Then the word of the Lord came to me: ⁹ “This is what the Lord says: ‘In the same way I will ruin the pride of Judah and the great pride of Jerusalem. ¹⁰ These wicked people, who refuse to listen to my words, who follow the stubbornness of their hearts and go after other gods to serve and worship them, will be like this belt—completely useless! ¹¹ For as a belt is bound around the waist, so I bound all the people of Israel and all the people of Judah to me,’ declares the Lord, ‘to be my people for my renown and praise and honor. But they have not listened.’

Prayer/Reflection

God sends Jeremiah shopping for a belt to wear around his waist. Then he was asked to hide the belt in the crevice of a rock. When he retrieved it later, it was ruined.

It became useless.

This piece of clothing became a metaphor for God’s relationship with Israel. The snug fit of a waistband is a picture of how God wants his people to cling close to him. And placed there, God was suppose to “wear” His people with pride.

Like a belt, we have only one purpose: to walk closely with Him and to please and glorify Him.

But, we may be far away from our owner. We may be buried in a rock and rotting away, in ruin and useless.

This message is amplified in the ministry and teachings of Christ. He ask us to abide in Him that we bear much fruit. He want us to follow Him and He will make us fishers of men. He teaches us that God want to “wear” us with pride, as His sons and daughters.

This is our life calling. Redeemed and cleansed by His blood, let Him bind us around His waist.

Prayer

We end with worship. Phos Hilaron is ancient hymn which was originally written in Koine Greek. It is the earliest hymn, found outside the Bible, that we have on record. It is translated into English as O Gladsome Light. This hymn is often used in Evening Prayer. Be blessed by a version published by a parish in United Kingdom. More information about this music can be found in the link here.

Hail, gladdening Light, of His pure glory poured
Who is the immortal Father, heavenly, blest,
Holiest of Holies, Jesus Christ our Lord!
Now we are come to the sun’s hour of rest;
The lights of evening round us shine;
We hymn the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit divine!

Worthiest art Thou at all times to be sung
With undefiled tongue, Son of our God,
Giver of life, alone:
Therefore in all the world Thy glories, Lord, they own.

Link to today’s Morning Office