Voice: Jennifer
Today is Friday, 5th of September. Let us observe a moment of silence.
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 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 join in praising God with the words of Psalm 95:1-5
Oh come, let us sing to the Lord;
let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!
2 Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;
let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!
3 For the Lord is a great God,
and a great King above all gods.
4 In his hand are the depths of the earth;
the heights of the mountains are his also.
5 The sea is his, for he made it,
and his hands formed the dry land.
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.
Mark 4: 30-32
26 And he said, “The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground. 27 He sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows; he knows not how. 28 The earth produces by itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. 29 But when the grain is ripe, at once he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.”
30 And he said, “With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable shall we use for it? 31 It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when sown on the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth,
32 yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes larger than all the garden plants and puts out large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.”
This is the Word of the Lord
Thanks be to God
The Miracle of Seeds
One of the wonders of God’s creation is how a tiny seed can become a full-grown plant. Those of us who enjoy home hydroponics or tend a vegetable garden witness these little “miracles” all the time.
Given the right conditions, the seed simply grows. The process is slow but steady—so gradual that we hardly notice it. Yet before long, the plant is bearing fruit and producing new seeds for the next generation.
Jesus points us to this mystery of growth in His parables. The farmer scatters seed and then goes about his life: “he sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows; he knows not how.” Even though modern science can explain how seeds germinate, the deeper truth remains—the seed grows because God has given it life.
Similarly, the mustard seed—so tiny and insignificant—eventually grows into a large tree that gives shelter to the birds of the air.
Such is the Kingdom of God.
With the benefit of hindsight, we see this miracle of growth across two millennia, as the Gospel has taken root in countless cultures and nations. The Kingdom has spread far beyond its humble beginnings.
Even in our own nation, after sixty years, we marvel at how the Church has grown. We also rejoice at what God is doing in our deaneries, as the seed of the Gospel continues to bear fruit.
Of course, this does not mean human labor is unnecessary. Jesus spoke often about the work of harvesting. Paul reminded Timothy that “it is the hard-working farmer who ought to have the first share of the crops” (2 Timothy 2:6). Yet Paul also makes it clear: “So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth” (1 Corinthians 3:7).
Yes, God calls us to labor faithfully. But let us never forget—the miracle of growth belongs to God alone. Our task is to plant and to water faithfully, while giving Him all the glory.
Pause for a moment to pray for your church or a Mission work that you care for. Ask the Lord to give the growth. Pray for the church pastors and leaders.
We end with the Collect of the Day :
O God, you declare your almighty power
most chiefly in showing mercy and pity:
mercifully grant to us such a measure of your grace, that we,
running the way of your commandments,
may receive your gracious promises,
and be made partakers of your heavenly treasure;
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.
Be blessed by this song, Things only God can do
When I lay me down to sleep
And pray the Lord my soul to keep
And gaze upon the stars up in the sky
I’m in awe of your glory
Your wisdom and Your power
In the universe
displayed before my eyes
And I marvel at the mysteries
No one can explain
And believe it in my
heart one thing is true
These are the things
That only God can do
Of all the wonders in this world
Lord my eyes have seen
None compare to the precious gift of life
And I can honestly say
None is dearer to my soul
Than the innocence
In a newborn baby’s cry
And the beauty to behold
In the shear simplicity
Of a flower kissed by the morning dew
These are the things
That only God can do
By your voice the
Worlds they were created
And with your hand hung
The stars in the sky
With your breath you
Gave life to this mortal
And I’ll never understand
The reason why
How could a heart such as mine
Stained by sin
Receive mercy and
Sweet amazing grace
And when it should have been me
Hanging on that cross
You my Lord and
Redeemer took my place
And as Heaven cheered in wonder
Of salvation’s perfect plan
I believe that in their
Hearts the angels knew
These are the things
That only God can do
These are the things
That only God can do
That only God can do
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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