Daily Devotion

Reflection: Terry
Voice: Shivdas

Man does not live by bread alone

Audio

Today is Thursday, 19th of June.

We have come together as the family of God in our Father’s presence to offer him praise and thanksgiving, to hear and receive his holy word, to bring before him the needs of the world, to ask his forgiveness of our sins, and to seek his grace, that through his Son Jesus Christ we may give ourselves to his service.

If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just, and will forgive us our sins, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Let us be still before His presence for a moment.

We confess our sins to almighty God:

Almighty God, our heavenly Father, 
we have sinned against you and against our fellow men,
in thought and word and deed
through negligence, through weakness, 
through our own deliberate fault.
We are truly sorry and repent of all our sins. 
For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, 
who died for us, forgive us all that is past; 
and grant that we may serve you in newness of life;
to the glory of your name. Amen.

We read Psalm 147:7-11:

Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving;
    make melody to our God on the lyre!
⁸ He covers the heavens with clouds;
    he prepares rain for the earth;
    he makes grass grow on the hills.
⁹ He gives to the beasts their food,
    and to the young ravens that cry.
¹⁰ His delight is not in the strength of the horse,
    nor his pleasure in the legs of a man,
¹¹ but the Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him,
    in those who hope in his steadfast love.\

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.

The Scripture Reading is Deuteronomy 8:2-6

² And you shall remember the whole way that the Lord your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not. ³ And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. ⁴ Your clothing did not wear out on you and your foot did not swell these forty years. ⁵ Know then in your heart that, as a man disciplines his son, the Lord your God disciplines you. ⁶ So you shall keep the commandments of the Lord your God by walking in his ways and by fearing him. 

This is the word of the Lord,
Thanks be to God.

Reflection

Today, we give thanks for the gift of Holy Communion.

In Deuteronomy, we are reminded that God’s provision of manna in the wilderness was not just sustenance—it was also a test of the heart. Though manna kept the Israelites alive, it never fully satisfied them. Instead of turning to God for fulfillment, they sought it elsewhere, leading to sin and sorrow.

Life is more than bread. When we receive Communion, letting the wafer rest on our tongue, we remember: “Man shall not live by bread alone.” These were Jesus’ words to Satan, refusing to turn stones into bread. He knew our true nourishment comes from God’s Word and presence.

Each Eucharist is more than a ritual; it is a feeding on the life of Christ. Though the elements are small—barely a meal—they point us to a deeper reality. As we pray:

Accept through him, our great high priest,
this our sacrifice of thanks and praise;
and as we eat and drink these holy gifts
in the presence of your divine majesty,
renew us by your Spirit,
inspire us with your love,
and unite us in the body of your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Bread and wine alone cannot sustain us. But when united with the life of Christ, they become a holy communion—one that strengthens us for this life and the life to come.

We end with the Collect for today:

Lord Jesus Christ,
we thank you that in this wonderful sacrament you have given us the memorial of your passion:
grant us so to reverence the sacred mysteries of your body and blood 
that we may know within ourselves and show forth in our lives
the fruits of your redemption;
for you are alive and reign with the Father
in the unity of the Holy Spirit, 
one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Be blessed by the hymn, Behold the Lamb:

Behold the Lamb who bears our sins away,
Slain for us: and we remember:
The promise made that all who come in faith
Find forgiveness at the cross.
So we share in this Bread of life,
And we drink of His sacrifice,
As a sign of our bonds of peace
Around the table of the King.

The body of our Saviour, Jesus Christ,
Torn for you: eat and remember
The wounds that heal, the death that brings us life,
Paid the price to make us one.
So we share in this Bread of Life,
And we drink of His sacrifice
As a sign of our bonds of love
Around the table of the King.

The blood that cleanses every stain of sin,
Shed for you: drink and remember
He drained death’s cup that all may enter in
To receive the life of God.
So we share in this Bread of Life,
And we drink of His sacrifice,
As a sign of our bonds of grace
Around the table of the King.

And so with thankfulness and faith
We rise to respond: and to remember
Our call to follow in the steps of Christ
As His body here on earth.
As we share in His suffering,
We proclaim: Christ will come again!
And we’ll join in the feast of heaven
Around the table of the King.

Link to today’s Morning Office

This daily devotion is based on the Morning Office. It is a projected ignited by Revd Canon Terry Wong with clergy and members from various parishes contributing. It comes with selected readings from the appointed Psalm and another Scripture text, accompanied by reflections and prayers. There is an audio option, which often ends with a selected hymn or song. It will be best to both read and listen. We aimed to help Anglicans to appreciate our liturgical resources while keeping to the devotional needs of Christians today. This project started on Ash Wednesday, 2025 and are offered for weekdays only. We appreciate feedback at info@mpcc.org.sg