Today is Wednesday, 9th of July. Take a moment to be still in His presence.
We pray:
O Lord, our heavenly Father, almighty and everlasting God, you have brought us safely to the beginning of this day: Defend us by your mighty power, that we may not fall into sin nor run into any danger; and that, guided by your Spirit, we may do what is righteous in your sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
We read Psalm 77:16-20
When the waters saw you, O God,
when the waters saw you, they were afraid;
indeed, the deep trembled.
17 The clouds poured out water;
the skies gave forth thunder;
your arrows flashed on every side.
18 The crash of your thunder was in the whirlwind;
your lightnings lighted up the world;
the earth trembled and shook.
19 Your way was through the sea,
your path through the great waters;
yet your footprints were unseen.
20 You led your people like a flock
by the hand of Moses and Aaron.
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.
Take a moment to think about waters. The power of the sea that is violent and uncontrollable. Here the Psalmist saw God at work through the turbulent waves. “Your way was through the sea, your path through the great waters…”
Prayer: We trust you O Lord in the midst of the turbulent circumstances that we and the world around us are facing. Amen.
The Scripture Reading is Romans 12:9-13
9 Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.
10 Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.
11 Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.
12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.
13 Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.
Reflection
“Let your love be genuine.” (Romans 12:9)
The Greek word used here is anhypokritos—literally, love without hypocrisy. It’s a call to love without masks, without pretense. To love from the heart.
Just as wine must be crushed from grapes to be real, genuine love must be pressed from the heart. It is not surface-level sentiment or performance—it is a deep movement of the soul.
Paul drives this home in 1 Corinthians 13:3:
“If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.”
This shows us that there are two kinds of charity:
- Exterior charity—acts of giving and sacrifice.
- Interior charity—the motive and sincerity behind those acts.
You can do the most extreme good—give away all your possessions, even your life—but if there is no true love within, it is empty. That is hypokritos—the opposite of what is genuine. The outer act does not match the inner truth.
To be sure, the Bible speaks passionately about caring for the poor and needy. And here in this passage, we are to show charity and hospitality (v 13). But it also warns us: without love, even the greatest outward actions are meaningless. For love to be sincere, the interior must match the exterior—and vice versa.
Jesus said, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” That’s not a superficial suggestion. He’s asking us to look into the mirror, and as we see ourselves, to replace our reflection with the image of our neighbor. That’s how deep and personal this love must go.
In that moment, the neighbor (proximus) becomes the intimate one (intimus).
So let us ask ourselves:
Is my love genuine?
Do my outward acts of care flow from a deep, inner reservoir of love rooted in Christ?
Am I willing to love not just in action, but from the heart?
Take a moment to reflect. Ask God to help align your heart with your actions—so that your love may be truly anhypokritos.
We end with this collect:
Lord, you have taught us
that all our doings without love are nothing worth:
send your Holy Spirit
and pour into our hearts that most excellent gift of love,
the true bond of peace and of all virtues,
without which whoever lives is counted dead before you.
Grant this for your only Son Jesus Christ’s sake,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.
In closing, be blessed by this song, Sermon On The Mount by April Cheah
Blessed are the poor in spirit
Theirs is the kingdom of God
Blessed are the grieving acquainted with tears
For they will find Him near
Blessed are the meek and gentle
They shall inherit the earth
Blessed are the starving for justice and light
They shall be satisfied
Cause us to seek first Your kingdom
Teach us to carry Your peace
That we’ll be called children of God most high
All those who seek will find
All those who seek will find
Blessed are the mercy givers
They will receive it in turn
Blessed are hearts that are pure
They will see Your risen reality
Stir us to love like You love us
Free us to give what we keep
Knowing our Father sees the secret things
Our treasure is in the King
Our treasure is in the King
Lord speak to my worries and help cut me free
Of this bondage to comfort and vanity
When I see You again on that one final day will You know me
I want to know You
Will You know me
Help me know You
Blessed are the peacemakers
They are Yours for You call and they come
Those blessed to suffer for righteousness’ sake
Your kingdom is theirs to partake
Lead us to walk with the suffering
Restore us to choose the harder road
That we will hear and do the word of Christ
Your way alone leads to life
Your way alone leads to life
Cause us to seek first Your kingdom
Teach us to carry Your peace
That we’ll be called children of God most high
All those who seek will find
Treasures where You are cannot be destroyed
And Your way alone leads to life
Link to today’s Morning Office
About This Daily Devotion
This weekday devotion is drawn from the Morning Office and is part of a project initiated by Revd Canon Terry Wong, with contributions from clergy and members across various parishes. Each entry includes selected readings from the appointed Psalm and another Scripture passage, accompanied by a reflection and prayer. An audio option is also available, often ending with a hymn or song. We encourage you to both read and listen.
Our aim is to help Anglicans engage more deeply with our rich liturgical tradition, while meeting the devotional needs of today’s believers. This project began on Ash Wednesday 2025 and is offered on weekdays only.
For feedback, please write to us at info@mpcc.org.sg
Daily Devotion 
Leave a comment