Voice: Jennifer
Today is Thursday, 5th of March. Whatever you are planning to do today, take a moment to commit your plans to the Lord.
We pray:
God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
whose years never fail and whose mercies are new each returning day:
let the radiance of your Spirit renew our lives,
warming our hearts and giving light to our minds;
that we may pass this day in joyful obedience and firm faith;
through him who is the beginning and the end,
your Son, Christ our Lord,who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Psalm 92:1-9
It is good to give thanks to the Lord,
to sing praises to your name, O Most High;
2 to declare your steadfast love in the morning,
and your faithfulness by night,
3 to the music of the lute and the harp,
to the melody of the lyre.
4 For you, O Lord, have made me glad by your work;
at the works of your hands I sing for joy.
5 How great are your works, O Lord!
Your thoughts are very deep!
6 The stupid man cannot know;
the fool cannot understand this:
7 that though the wicked sprout like grass
and all evildoers flourish,
they are doomed to destruction forever;
8 but you, O Lord, are on high forever.
9 For behold, your enemies, O Lord,
for behold, your enemies shall perish;
all evildoers shall be scattered.
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.
Hebrews 3:1-6
1Therefore, holy brothers, you who share in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession, 2who was faithful to him who appointed him, just as Moses also was faithful in all God’s house. 3For Jesus has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses—as much more glory as the builder of a house has more honor than the house itself. 4(For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.) 5Now Moses was faithful in all God’s house as a servant, to testify to the things that were to be spoken later, 6but Christ is faithful over God’s house as a son. And we are his house, if indeed we hold fast our confidence and our boasting in our hope.
This is the Word of the Lord
Thanks be to God
Give thanks
The builder receives more honour than the building itself. A beautiful painting may draw admiration, but greater honour belongs to the painter behind it. We may praise a fine dish, but even more so the chef who prepared it.
So the writer of Epistle to the Hebrews declares, “The builder of a house has more honour than the house itself” (Hebrews 3:3). And then he adds something astonishing: we are that house.
If Christ is the builder, and we are His house, then an important question follows:
Does the Church of Jesus Christ bring honour to the Son Himself?
In a media-saturated age, it is easy to magnify the weaknesses of the Church. Failures are broadcast instantly. Scandals involving leaders are exposed and dissected. It does not take much for cynicism to grow. For some, disappointment becomes disillusionment.
And yet, when Jesus said, “I will build my church,” He meant it. The Church was never promised perfection in this age—but she was promised preservation. She would endure. She would testify. She would bear fruit.
For two millennia, despite persecution, division, and human frailty, the Church has continued to proclaim Christ. Her impact across societies and generations is immense—so vast that it is difficult to measure fully. Entire educational systems, hospitals, orphanages, and relief organisations were birthed from Christian conviction. Countless families have been strengthened, restored, and transformed through the quiet, faithful ministry of local churches.
Behind many of the world’s most enduring institutions stand believers who laboured sacrificially for the sake of Christ. Through their sweat and tears, communities were uplifted and lives were changed.
Paradoxically, the Church’s failures often appear so stark precisely because her moral calling is so high. The greater the light, the more visible the shadow. Expectations of integrity, compassion, and holiness have historically been elevated because of Christ’s teachings. When the Church falls short, the contrast is painful.
But the story of the Church is not primarily one of failure—it is one of grace sustained through weakness.
Across the centuries, the Church has left an indelible mark on human history. Imperfect though she is, she continues to bear witness to her Lord. Through worship and witness, mercy and mission, she has brought honour and glory to her Builder—our Lord Jesus Christ.
And she will continue to do so, until the day the Builder Himself returns.
🌿 Thought for Lent
Will you take time this week to give thanks for the gift of the Church?
Not just in a general or abstract sense. Not just “the Church worldwide.”
Give thanks for your parish.
Give thanks for:
- The people who pray faithfully each week
- The quiet servants who set up the sanctuary
- The leaders who labour in teaching and shepherding
- The children who fill the space with life
- The elderly saints who have walked with Christ for decades
Give thanks for the building you gather in — whether grand or simple.
Give thanks for the worship that has shaped you.
Give thanks for the sacraments that nourish you.
Give thanks for the community who have stood with you in joy and sorrow.
The Church is not perfect. But she is Christ’s beloved Bride.
And she is the community through whom He has chosen to bless you.
This Lent, let gratitude replace cynicism.
Let thanksgiving renew your love for the people God has placed around you.
_____
Be blessed by this rendition of The Church’s One Foundation, sung by a team from Christ Church, Bellingham.
1. The Church’s one foundation
Is Jesus Christ her Lord;
She is his new creation,
By water and the word;
From Heav’n he came and sought her
To be his holy bride;
With his own blood he bought her,
And for her life he died.
2. Elect from ev’ry nation,
Yet one o’er all the Earth,
Her charter of salvation
One Lord, one faith, one birth;
One holy name she blesses,
Partakes one holy food,
And to one hope she presses,
With ev’ry grace endued.
3. ‘Mid toil and tribulation
And tumult of her war,
She waits the consummation
Of peace forever more;
Till with the vision glorious
Her longing eyes are blest,
And the great Church victorious
Shall be the Church at rest.
4. Yet she on earth hath union
With God the Three in One,
And mystic sweet communion
With those whose rest is won:
O happy ones and holy!
Lord, give us grace that we,
Like them, the meek and lowly,
In love may dwell with 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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