Voice: Ting Ai
Today is Wednesday, 10th of September. 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 110
The Lord says to my Lord:
“Sit at my right hand,
until I make your enemies your footstool.”
2 The Lord sends forth from Zion
your mighty scepter.
Rule in the midst of your enemies!
3 Your people will offer themselves freely
on the day of your power,
in holy garments;
from the womb of the morning,
the dew of your youth will be yours.
4 The Lord has sworn
and will not change his mind,
“You are a priest forever
after the order of Melchizedek.”
5 The Lord is at your right hand;
he will shatter kings on the day of his wrath.
6 He will execute judgment among the nations,
filling them with corpses;
he will shatter chiefs
over the wide earth.
7 He will drink from the brook by the way;
therefore he will lift up his head.
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 7:14-23
14 And he called the people to him again and said to them, “Hear me, all of you, and understand: 15 There is nothing outside a person that by going into him can defile him, but the things that come out of a person are what defile him.” 17 And when he had entered the house and left the people, his disciples asked him about the parable. 18 And he said to them, “Then are you also without understanding? Do you not see that whatever goes into a person from outside cannot defile him,19 since it enters not his heart but his stomach, and is expelled?” (Thus he declared all foods clean.) 20 And he said, “What comes out of a person is what defiles him. 21 For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, 22 coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. 23 All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.”
The Heart Wants
Yesterday we reflected on the heart as the source of good or evil. Today, we ask again: what really is the “heart”?
Clearly, it is not our physical organ, but a metaphor for the inner self—the “real us.” So when Scripture says that someone is “after God’s own heart,” or when Jesus commands us to love God with “all our heart,” what does it mean?
One word closely tied to the biblical kardia is desire. We often say, “the heart wants…” The truth is, there is a “love pump” within us. From an Augustinian perspective, humans are essentially lovers. We are always desiring, always longing for something or someone.
The tragedy of the Fall is not that we stopped loving, but that our love has been misdirected. Our desire has been bent toward things other than God’s glory and His kingdom.
And when love is disordered, life becomes disordered. What we love will ultimately define who we are. What we desire will ultimately shape our character, our choices, and our destiny.
This is why Jesus says, “Hear and understand.” Our desires—the inclinations of our hearts—will either draw us nearer to God or carry us further away. The same is true in our relationships with others.
So Proverbs exhorts us:
“Guard your heart, for from it flow the springs of life.”
And Ezekiel speaks God’s promise:
“I will give you a new heart, and put a new spirit within you.”
Ask the Spirit to reorder your loves, to restore your first love for God, to make Him again the chief desire of your heart. For only then will we truly love the Lord our God—with one whole, undivided heart.
Brothers and sisters, let us pause and pray for this renewal.
We end with this Prayer of St. Bernard of Clairvaux (1090 – 1153):
Jesus, the very thought of you with sweetness fills the breast;
But sweeter far your face to see, And in your presence rest.
Nor voice can sing, nor heart can frame,
Nor can the memory find a sweeter sound than your blessed Name,
O Savior of mankind! O hope of every contrite heart, O joy of all the meek, To those who fall, how kind you are! How good to those who seek!
O Jesus, light of all below, fount of living fire, surpassing all the joys we know, and all we can desire.
Abide with us, and let your light shine, Lord, on every heart;
Dispel the darkness of our night; And joy to all impart. Amen.
Be blessed by this hymn, As the Deer
As the deer panteth for the water
So my soul longeth after Thee
You alone are my heart’s desire
And I long to worship Thee
You alone are my Strength, my Shield
To You alone may my spirit yield
You alone are my heart’s desire
And I long to worship Thee.
You’re my Friend and You are my Brother
Even though You are a King
I love You more than any other
So much more than anything
You alone are my Strength, my Shield
To You alone may my spirit yield
You alone are my heart’s desire
And I long to worship Thee.
I want You more than gold or silver
Only You can satisfy
You alone are the real joy-giver
And the apple of my eye
You alone are my Strength, my Shield
To You alone may my spirit yield
You alone are my heart’s desire
And I long to worship Thee.
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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