Voice: Mylene
Today is Thursday, 27th of November.
As we start another day, let us observe a moment of silence.
We pray:
Blessed are you, creator of all,
to you be praise and glory for ever.
As your dawn renews the face of the earth
bringing light and life to all creation,
may we rejoice in this day you have made;
as we wake refreshed from the depths of sleep,
open our eyes to behold your presence
and strengthen our hands to do your will,
that the world may rejoice and give you praise.
Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Amen
Psalm 127
Unless the Lord builds the house,
those who build it labor in vain.
Unless the Lord watches over the city,
the watchman stays awake in vain.
2 It is in vain that you rise up early
and go late to rest,
eating the bread of anxious toil;
for he gives to his beloved sleep.
3 Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord,
the fruit of the womb a reward.
4 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior
are the children of one’s youth.
5 Blessed is the man
who fills his quiver with them!
He shall not be put to shame
when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.
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 10:40-42
40 “Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me.
41 The one who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and the one who receives a righteous person because he is a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward.
42 And whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.”
This is the Word of the Lord
Thanks be to God
Unless the Lord
We are now in the last week of the liturgical year. A new one begins this Sunday with the First Sunday of Advent. Time truly flies.
Over the past year, all of us have been labouring in one way or another. Students have studied and sat for examinations. Workers and employers have poured themselves into their responsibilities. All of us have been building something.
There is nothing wrong with work itself. In fact, work is God’s idea. The very first command given to humanity was a command to work:
“The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and take care of it” (Genesis 2:15).
Jesus likewise said, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working” (John 5:17).
Yet, not all work is good. Scripture reminds us that the devil, too, is a tireless worker. In our baptismal vows we renounce “the works of the devil.”
Consider the first great building project in human history—the Tower of Babel.
Genesis 11:4 recounts the ambition behind it:
“Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves…”
It was a feat of coordination and skill. Yet it ended in disaster—a fractured community and confused communication, consequences we still experience today. The problem was not the craftsmanship but the motive.
So the question confronts us:
How do we ensure that our efforts will amount to something lasting and good? How do we avoid “the works of the devil” (1 John 3:8) and instead return to “the works you did at first” (Rev 2:5)?
The answer begins with the simple, profound prayer of Psalm 127:1:
“Unless the LORD builds the house,
those who build it labour in vain.
Unless the LORD watches over the city,
the watchman stays awake in vain.”
This is about cultivating an inner posture of dependence and trust. This is why we worship on Sunday. We cease from our labour to remember that He is the source of all fruitfulness. As Augustine of Hippo wrote:
“We are all running, we are all toiling, we are all building now; and before us others have run, toiled, and built: but ‘except the Lord build, their labour is but lost.’”
As this liturgical year comes to an end, let us look to the Lord again. Ask Him to establish the work of your hands. Let prayer accompany your labour. Entrust your efforts to Him—for only what He builds will endure.
We end with the Collect for “Christ the King.”
Eternal Father,
whose Son Jesus Christ ascended to the throne of heaven
that he might rule over all things as Lord and King:
keep the Church in the unity of the Spirit and in the bond of peace,
and bring the whole created order to worship at his feet;
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 version of Psalm 127.
Knock on the door of my heart and call out my name
Debris from this house that I’ve built
I’m crushed under its weight
Shattered glass and chandeliers of a dream I put my faith,
Oh, I put my faith in
But unless I let You build the house, my labor is in vain
So take this rubble soul and erect a manor once again
Lately I’ve been late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil
So hold Your weary lover now,
and as she rests her fears uncoil…
Sleep my love
It won’t be long now, love, keep your head against my heart
Let my breath fill your lungs with desire I’ll fulfill every part
It won’t be long, honey, just keep holding on
as I bid your fears to depart
Oh, to depart
Because unless you let me build the house, our labor is in vain
I’ll take your rubble soul and erect a manor once again
Lately you’ve been late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil
So let me hold my weary lover now,
and as you rest your fears uncoil…
Sleep my love
Purest rays of dawn
Touch the white bedsheet
Gentle breath, closed eyes
Delicate lashes on your cheeks
Oh look how far we’ve come
Beloved, rest in me
(Come and) rest in me
Oh look how far we’ve come
Beloved, rest in me
(Come and) rest in me
Oh look how far we’ve come
Beloved, rest in me
Rest in me
Because unless you let me build the house, our labor is in vain
I’ll take this rubble soul and erect a manor once again
Lately you’ve been late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil
So let me hold my weary lover now,
and as she rests her fears uncoil…
Sleep my love
Sleep my love
Sleep my love
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 terrywong@anglican.org.sg
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