Voice: Emily
Today is Thursday, 21st of August. As we start another day, let us observe a moment of silence.
We pray:
O Almighty God, who pourest out on all who desire it the spirit of grace and of supplication: Deliver us, when we draw near to thee, from coldness of heart and wanderings of mind, that with steadfast thoughts and kindled affections we may worship thee in spirit and in truth; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
We read Psalm 63:1-4
O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you;
my soul thirsts for you;
my flesh faints for you,
as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.
2 So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary,
beholding your power and glory.
3 Because your steadfast love is better than life,
my lips will praise you.
4 So I will bless you as long as I live;
in your name I will lift up my hands.
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 Mark 1: 35-39
35 And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed. 36 And Simon and those who were with him searched for him, 37 and they found him and said to him, “Everyone is looking for you.” 38 And he said to them, “Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also, for that is why I came out.” 39 And he went throughout all Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out demons.
This is the Word of the Lord
Thanks be to God
Reflection
“Everyone is looking for You”
With the rise of social media, the lone individual has more power than ever to gain attention. From the privacy of one’s room, anyone can try to become a celebrity. Reality shows, talent contests, and viral videos all feed the same pursuit—the quest to be known.
Pastor Rick Warren once observed that deep down, we all want to be like gods. We crave recognition: for people to whisper our names, to turn their heads when we enter a room, to hear the applause as we walk up to receive an award. We imagine that if we are noticed, if we win, if we stand in the spotlight, then we’ve reached the pinnacle of life.
Now, there’s nothing wrong with recognition that comes from honest, hard work. Scripture itself speaks of rewards, and these can be good when they come from the right place. But not all rewards are worth pursuing.
In Mark 1, after a burst of teaching and miracles, Jesus’ fame began to spread quickly. His disciples came to Him and said, “Everyone is looking for You.” You might expect Jesus to embrace the moment. But instead, He replied, “Let us go somewhere else.” His mission was not to bask in the crowd’s praise. As He would later say, “The Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10).
The glory of Jesus would come—but not yet, and not through the world’s methods.
Peter later wrote that Christ left us “an example, that you should follow in his steps” (1 Peter 2:21). That means resisting the temptation to chase after empty applause. It means walking faithfully in God’s path, trusting that our vindication will come from Him, in His way and in His time.
The glory the world offers is shallow and short-lived. But there is an eternal reward—far greater, far more satisfying—that will one day outshine anything you could ever gain here. So keep walking in His steps, serving like the Master did.
We end with the Prayer of St. Benedict from the fifth century:
Gracious and holy Father, give me wisdom to perceive you,
intelligence to fathom you, patience to wait for you,
eyes to behold you, a heart to meditate upon you,
and a life to proclaim you,
through the power of the Spirit of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
In closing, be blessed by this beautiful song about our pilgrimage, Sojourn by Ronald Wong.
Hours of silence on ascent
Light the sky with burned incense
Ancient paths in yearning hearts
Following after singing larks
Springs arise in place of tears
Olive branches now appear
Broken vines into fine new wines
Pour and drink to forgone lines
‘See sojourner; hear the preacher
Feel the water; wash and draw near’
‘Zion calls you; Zion calls you, Zion calls you, come’
Nations flow as rivers pour
Fill the House on whispered lore
Ashes twirl under dancing feet
In all tongues our prayers will meet
‘See O witness; hear the promise
Feel the voices; roll down justice’
Yet, now I don’t see the fig tree bud
Fields are all bare, thorns and thistles cut
Still I hope in the Lord my God
I will see with my spirit awed
Walk by grace on illumined ways
Till the dawn shall unveil His face
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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