Daily Devotion

Voice: Li Huan

Preparation

Today is Monday, 23rd of February. It is the sixth day in the Season of Lent. Take a moment to pause and be still.

We open with the collect from the first Sunday of Lent:

Almighty God,
whose Son Jesus Christ fasted forty days in the wilderness,
and was tempted as we are, yet without sin:
give us grace to discipline ourselves in obedience to your Spirit;
and, as you know our weakness,
so may we know your power to save;
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.

Psalm Reading

The appointed Psalm for today is Psalm 11:

In the Lord I take refuge;
how can you say to my soul, “Flee like a bird to your mountain,
for behold, the wicked bend the bow;
they have fitted their arrow to the string to shoot in the dark
at the upright in heart;
if the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?”
The Lord is in his holy temple; the Lord ’s throne is in heaven;
his eyes see, his eyelids test the children of man.
The Lord tests the righteous, but his soul hates the wicked
and the one who loves violence.
Let him rain coals on the wicked;
fire and sulfur and a scorching wind shall be the portion of their cup.
For the Lord is righteous; he loves righteous deeds;
the upright shall behold his face.

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.

Scripture Reading

The Scripture Reading for today is taken from Galatians 4:1-7

¹ I mean that the heir, as long as he is a child, is no different from a slave, though he is the owner of everything, 
² but he is under guardians and managers until the date set by his father. 
³ In the same way we also, when we were children, were enslaved to the elementary principles of the world. 
⁴ But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, 
⁵ to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. 
⁶ And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” 
⁷ So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.

Reflection:

Our True Identity

Jesus taught His disciples to call God “Abba.”
This was revolutionary.

“Abba” is an Aramaic term used by Jewish children to address their father. It carries warmth, intimacy, and trust. It was not irreverent—but it was deeply personal.

For devout Jews, God’s holiness was beyond question. His name was not even spoken lightly. To address the Holy One of Israel with such intimacy would have seemed unimaginable.

Yet Jesus not only used this term Himself. He invited His followers to do the same. The prayer that identifies a follower of Christ—the Lord’s Prayer—begins:

“Our Father…”

Before petitions.
Before needs.
Before forgiveness.

It begins with identity.

At the heart of Christianity is not merely belief or morality. It is relationship. To be a Christian is to be a son or daughter of God.

Unless we become like children, Jesus says, we cannot enter the Kingdom.

St Paul underline this truth as a basis for a different kind of life for a Christian. For “adoption as sons” means we belong, are chosen and have an inheritance. We are no longer enslaved to the “elementary principles” of this world—the basic value systems that drive society: status, wealth, performance, comparison, fear.

Every other title you hold—professional, social, familial—is temporary. Even the most impressive achievements are fleeting compared to who you are in Christ. Instead, we are to build our lives on who we are in Christ.

So, reflect on your spiritual identity. You are a child of God.

Take a moment to treasure:

• Who you are to God.
• Who He is to you.

Let the Spirit remind you of your true name. And from that secure place, learn again to pray: “Abba, Father.”

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And so, we pray our Family Prayer

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours
now and forever.
Amen.

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We often curate a song at the end of the devotion. If you are busy, you don’t need to listen to the song in its entirety or just play it in the background.

Be blessed by this worship song, Build you lives by Pat Barett.

Worthy of every song we could ever sing
Worthy of all the praise we could ever bring
Worthy of every breath we could ever breathe
We live for You, oh, we live for You

Jesus, the Name above every other name
Jesus, the only One who could ever save
Worthy of every breath we could ever breathe
We live for You, we live for You

[Chorus]
Holy, there is no one like You, there is none beside You
Open up my eyes in wonder and
Show me who You are and fill me with Your heart
And lead me in Your love to those around me

Jesus, the name above every other name
Jesus, the only One who could ever save
You’re worthy of every breath we could ever breathe
We live for You, oh, we live for You

Link to the full 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