Voice: Jennifer
Today is Friday, 21st of November. The night has passed, and the day lies open before us; let us pray with one heart and mind.
Silence is kept.
As we rejoice in the gift of this new day,
so may the light of your presence, O God,
set our hearts on fire with love for you;
now and for ever.
Amen.
Psalm 31:14-24
14 But I trust in you, O Lord;
I say, “You are my God.”
15 My times are in your hand;
rescue me from the hand of my enemies and from my persecutors!
16 Make your face shine on your servant;
save me in your steadfast love!
17 O Lord, let me not be put to shame,
for I call upon you;
let the wicked be put to shame;
let them go silently to Sheol.
18 Let the lying lips be mute,
which speak insolently against the righteous
in pride and contempt.
19 Oh, how abundant is your goodness,
which you have stored up for those who fear you
and worked for those who take refuge in you,
in the sight of the children of mankind!
20 In the cover of your presence you hide them
from the plots of men;
you store them in your shelter
from the strife of tongues.
21 Blessed be the Lord,
for he has wondrously shown his steadfast love to me
when I was in a besieged city.
22 I had said in my alarm,[b]
“I am cut off from your sight.”
But you heard the voice of my pleas for mercy
when I cried to you for help.
23 Love the Lord, all you his saints!
The Lord preserves the faithful
but abundantly repays the one who acts in pride.
24 Be strong, and let your heart take courage,
all you who wait for the Lord!
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.
Matthew 8
23 And when he got into the boat, his disciples followed him.
24 And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep.
25 And they went and woke him, saying, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing.”
26 And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.
27 And the men marveled, saying, “What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?”
This is the Word of the Lord
Thanks be to God.
“Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?”
Have you ever been out at sea? Perhaps on a cruise, a fishing trip, or even during your time in the Navy. If so, you will know what a horrible experience it is to be caught in a storm and feel nauseous. Your stomach churns, you feel like vomiting, and emotionally there is a rising sense of panic. Seasoned sailors and fishermen may manage it better, but for most of us, it is deeply unsettling.
The storm on the great Lake of Galilee must have risen suddenly and violently—so fierce that even the experienced, and now nauseated, disciples feared they were doomed. Waves pounded the boat, threatening to capsize it.
And yet, in the midst of all that chaos, Jesus was sound asleep.
Have you ever watched a baby sleep? There is often a peaceful, gentle look on their face—a picture of calm and rest. We adults do not sleep like that. We snore, snort, toss about, troubled by dreams and anxieties.
But Jesus—the Prince of Peace—slept peacefully until He was awakened by His fearful disciples. His response was surprising:
“Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?”
Why wouldn’t anyone be afraid in a storm? But Jesus was making a deeper point: I am with you.
In other words, “You of little faith, why be afraid when I am right here?”
And then, as we know, the Prince of Peace stood and brought immediate calm to the winds and the waves.
Are you afraid today?
You may have very real reasons to feel that way. And yet again and again, Scripture speaks into our fears:
“Be still.”
“Do not be afraid.”
“For I am with you.”
I am in your midst.
Whatever turmoil you face—within or without—I will walk with you as you step into another day.
We end with the Prayer of St. Benedict (480-547)
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.
Be blessed by this song, Be Still
Be still and know
That the Lord is in control
Be still, my soul
Stand and watch as giants fall
I won’t be afraid for You are here
You silence all my fear
I won’t be afraid, You don’t let go
Be still, my heart, and know
I won’t be afraid
Be still and trust
What the Lord has said is done
Find rest, don’t strive
Watch as faith and grace align
I won’t be afraid for You are here
You silence all my fear
I won’t be afraid, You don’t let go
Be still my heart and know
I won’t be afraid
I won’t be afraid
Surely love and mercy
Your peace and kindness
Will follow me
Will follow me
Surely love and mercy
Your peace and kindness
Will follow me
Will follow me
Surely love and mercy
Your peace and kindness
Will follow me
Will follow me
Surely love and mercy
Your peace and kindness
Will follow me
Will follow me
Your love surrounds me
Your love surrounds me, here
Your love surrounds me
Your love surrounds me, here
Your love surrounds me
Your love surrounds me, here
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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