Voice: Mylene
Today is Friday, 20th of March. 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,
may the light of your presence, O God,
set our hearts on fire with love for you;
now and for ever.
Amen.
Psalm 142
With my voice I cry out to the Lord;
with my voice I plead for mercy to the Lord.
2 I pour out my complaint before him;
I tell my trouble before him.
3 When my spirit faints within me,
you know my way!
In the path where I walk
they have hidden a trap for me.
4 Look to the right and see:
there is none who takes notice of me;
no refuge remains to me;
no one cares for my soul.
5 I cry to you, O Lord;
I say, “You are my refuge,
my portion in the land of the living.”
6 Attend to my cry,
for I am brought very low!
Deliver me from my persecutors,
for they are too strong for me!
7 Bring me out of prison,
that I may give thanks to your name!
The righteous will surround me,
for you will deal bountifully with me.
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 10: 32-39
32 But recall the former days when, after you were enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings, 33 sometimes being publicly exposed to reproach and affliction, and sometimes being partners with those so treated. 34 For you had compassion on those in prison, and you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property, since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one. 35 Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. 36 For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised. 37 For,
“Yet a little while,
and the coming one will come and will not delay;
38 but my righteous one shall live by faith,
and if he shrinks back,
my soul has no pleasure in him.”
39 But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.
This is the Word of the Lord
Thanks be to God
Soul Preservation
The writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews continues to encourage his readers to persevere in their faith. They had paid a high price for following Christ. Some had their property plundered; others were imprisoned. Yet they were commended for the compassion they showed to fellow believers who suffered alongside them.
Now, they needed grace to endure—to hold on. To “keep on keeping on,” as we might say today. For in doing so, they would “preserve their souls.”
In a society like ours in Singapore, we are often driven by the desire to improve constantly. Life is rarely static as we pursue growth and progress. We bring the same mindset into the church and her ministries. And given the pace of modern life, we can easily grow restless or bored.
Yet in the midst of all this, we must not forget that perseverance and endurance will preserve our faith and witness. Sometimes the call is not to innovate, but simply to remain faithful—to hold our ground.
Have you ever reflected on how certain foods or wines are preserved for months, even years, in a jar or cask? They remain as they are, and in time, they deepen in richness and quality.
So it is with our faith in Christ.
🌿 Thought for Lent
Today, give thanks that you are a child of God.
Reflect on what you have given up—and what you continue to lay down—to follow Christ.
And pray for the Lord’s strength, that you may “preserve your soul” and endure faithfully in Him.
We pray the Prayer of St. Ambrose of Milan, 339-397
O Lord, who hast mercy upon all,
take away from me my sins,
and mercifully kindle in me the fire of thy Holy Spirit.
Take away from me the heart of stone,
and give me a heart of flesh,
a heart to love and adore thee,
a heart to delight in thee,
to follow and to enjoy thee,
for Christ’s sake. Amen.
In times of discouragement, be blessed by the simple message of this song, Bambelela by Marty Haugen.
Turn My Heart ℗ 2003 GIA Publications, Inc. Artist: Marty Haugen
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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