Voice: Hali
Today is Tuesday, 10th of March. In this Season of Lent, let us take a moment to be still in His presence.
Dearly beloved, the Scriptures teach us to acknowledge our many sins and offenses, not concealing them from our heavenly Father, but confessing them with humble and obedient hearts that we may obtain forgiveness by his infinite goodness and mercy. We ought at all times humbly to acknowledge our sins before Almighty God, but especially when we come together in his presence to give thanks for the great benefits we have received at his hands, to declare his most worthy praise, to hear his holy Word, and to ask, for ourselves and on behalf of others, those things which are necessary for our life and our salvation. Therefore, draw near with me to the throne of heavenly grace.
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.
Grant to your faithful people, merciful Lord, pardon and peace; that we may be cleansed from all our sins, and serve you with a quiet mind; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Psalm 106:1-5
Praise the Lord!
Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
for his steadfast love endures forever!
2 Who can utter the mighty deeds of the Lord,
or declare all his praise?
3 Blessed are they who observe justice,
who do righteousness at all times!
4 Remember me, O Lord, when you show favor to your people;
help me when you save them,
5 that I may look upon the prosperity of your chosen ones,
that I may rejoice in the gladness of your nation,
that I may glory with your inheritance.
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 6:1-8
1Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, 2and of instruction about washings, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.
3And this we will do if God permits.
4For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit,
5and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt.
7For land that has drunk the rain that often falls on it, and produces a crop useful to those for whose sake it is cultivated, receives a blessing from God. 8But if it bears thorns and thistles, it is worthless and near to being cursed, and its end is to be burned.This is the Word of the Lord
Thanks be to God
Going on to Maturity
At first glance, this passage from Hebrews 6 seems to suggest that we should move beyond the foundations of our faith. We are told to leave the “elementary doctrines” and go on to maturity.
If we examine the list of teachings in verses 1 and 2, we can see that these would likely have been part of early Christian catechesis. A catechism is a body of instruction through which new believers are grounded in the Christian faith. Perhaps the closest equivalent today would be our baptism or confirmation classes.
So is the writer advocating that believers should go on to deeper truths or doctrines? And if so, what might these be?
Or is he saying that believers should move beyond the need for continual catechetical instruction toward a lived and settled faith?
Given the wider context of the book, the latter seems more likely. Maturity here refers to a steadfast faith expressed in how one lives, not merely a deeper or more sophisticated understanding of doctrine. It is not about becoming theologically astute, as we might put it today.
The writer is urging the believers to press forward in their faith instead of drifting back to their old ways.
Let us dwell on this thought today. In a highly educated and sophisticated society like ours—one in which our church also participates—it is easy to equate maturity with knowledge or religious competence. A good evangelical is someone who knows his doctrines well and reads widely. A good Anglican is someone who understands the liturgical tradition and observes the church calendar faithfully.
But this is not the message of the Book of Hebrews, nor of the New Testament as a whole.
True maturity is seen in how one loves Christ and others. It is reflected in personal character and social conduct shaped by a reverent fear of the Lord. It is possible even for church leaders to develop large egos, becoming so full of themselves that Christ is hardly visible in them.
This passage stands as a solemn reminder:
lest, in our pride, our lives produce “thorns and thistles” rather than the fruits that bring glory to God.
Take a moment to let the Spirit search our hearts.
We pray the Collect from the Third Sunday in Lent:
Almighty God,
whose most dear Son went not up to joy but first he suffered pain,
and entered not into glory before he was crucified:
mercifully grant that we,
walking in the way of the cross,
may find it none other than the way of life and peace;
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.
Be blessed by this African American spiritual, which often reminds me of the simplicity of what it means to be a follower of Christ.
Lord, I want to be a Christian in my heart, in my heart.
Lord, I want to be more loving in my heart, in my heart.
Lord, I want to be more holy in my heart, in my heart.
Lord, I want to be like Jesus in my heart, in my heart.
Lord, I Want to Be a Christian | St. Cecilia Choir | Richard J. Clark, Director
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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