Voice: Doreen
Today is Wednesday, 30th of July. Let us pause to gather our scattered thoughts and focus our spirit on His presence.
Let us humbly confess our sins to Almighty God.
Almighty and most merciful Father,
we have erred and strayed from your ways like lost sheep.
We have followed too much the devices and desires
of our own hearts.
We have offended against your holy laws.
We have left undone those things which we ought to have done,
and we have done those things which we ought not
to have done; and apart from your grace, there is no health in us.
O Lord, have mercy upon us.
Spare all those who confess their faults.
Restore all those who are penitent, according to your promises
declared to all people in Christ Jesus our Lord.
And grant, O most merciful Father, for his sake,
that we may now live a godly, righteous, and sober life,
to the glory of your holy Name. Amen.
We read Psalm 119:169-172
169 Let my cry come before you, O Lord ;
give me understanding according to your word!
170 Let my plea come before you;
deliver me according to your word.
171 My lips will pour forth praise,
for you teach me your statutes.
172 My tongue will sing of your word,
for all your commandments are right.
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.
Ezekiel 12:1-6
1 The word of the Lord came to me:
2 “Son of man, you dwell in the midst of a rebellious house, who have eyes to see, but see not, who have ears to hear, but hear not, for they are a rebellious house.
3 As for you, son of man, prepare for yourself an exile’s baggage, and go into exile by day in their sight. You shall go like an exile from your place to another place in their sight. Perhaps they will understand, though they are a rebellious house.
4 You shall bring out your baggage by day in their sight, as baggage for exile, and you shall go out yourself at evening in their sight, as those do who must go into exile.
5 In their sight dig through the wall, and bring your baggage out through it.
6 In their sight you shall lift the baggage upon your shoulder and carry it out at dusk. You shall cover your face that you may not see the land, for I have made you a sign for the house of Israel.”
This is the Word of the Lord
Thanks be to God.
Through a Hole in the Wall
In the world of Old Testament prophecy, there are moments when the messenger himself becomes the message.
God instructed Ezekiel to pack his bags in full view of the people. He was not to slip away quietly through the city gates. No—he was to dig a hole through the city wall and crawl out with his belongings by day and by night. His leaving will be a secretive shameful escape. A hole in the wall symbolises the city’s loss of security. It was to be a dramatic and attention-grabbing prophetic act.
Why such a spectacle?
Because Israel was a rebellious house, a people who had “eyes to see, but see not; ears to hear, but hear not” (Ezekiel 12:2). They were blind to the warnings, deaf to the prophets. And if they refused to change, they would be cast out—sent into exile.
Few of us today know the full weight of national exile. But in the ancient world, it was devastating. It meant the loss of home, future, culture, and freedom. Everyone will become dispersed slaves in a foreign land.
The rebellious people were sleepwalking into it. Ezekiel’s walk through a hole in the wall was God’s wake-up call.
Throughout the Bible, rebellion and exile go hand in hand.
Sin has a way of scattering us. It alienates us from God’s presence, from each other, and even from our true selves.
But God does not leave us there.
As Paul wrote in Colossians 1:21–23:
“Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior.
But now He has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in His sight… if you continue in the faith, established and firm, not shifting from the hope held out in the gospel.”
Through Christ, God has called us home.
He has reversed the exile, bringing us back into the presence of the Father.
So, my brothers and sisters:
- Continue in the faith.
- Be stable and steadfast.
- Don’t live like exiles when you’ve been welcomed home.
- Don’t live like strangers when you are beloved children.
- Don’t live like prodigal sons and daughters. Come back to the Father.
Come home. Stay home. Live in His presence.
We end with the collect of the day:
Merciful God,
you have prepared for those who love you
such good things as pass our understanding;
pour into our hearts such love toward you
that we, loving you in all things and above all things,
may obtain your promises,
which exceed all that we can desire;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
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, Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling
Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling
Calling for you and for me
See, on your portals He’s waiting and watching
Watching for you and for me
Come home, come home
Ye who are weary come home
Earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling
Calling O sinner come home
Oh! For the wonderful love He has promised
Promised for you and for me
Tho’ we have sinned He has mercy and pardon
Pardon for you and for me
Come home, come home
Ye who are weary come home
Earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling
Calling O sinner come home
[Bridge]
Jesus is calling
Ooh
Oh, I hear
I hear His sweet voice
Calling for me
Gently He leads those who carry their young ones
Shepherd for you and for me
Surely His goodness and mercy will follow
Ever with you and with me
Earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling
Calling O sinner come home
Calling O sinner come home
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
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