Voice: Doreen
Today is Monday, 23rd of March. We start by praying the Collect for Purity:
Almighty God,
to whom all hearts are open,
all desires known,
and from whom no secrets are hidden:
cleanse the thoughts of our hearts
by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit,
that we may perfectly love you,
and worthily magnify your holy name;
through Christ our Lord. Amen.
The appointed Psalm for today is Psalm 97
The Lord reigns, let the earth rejoice;
let the many coastlands be glad!
2 Clouds and thick darkness are all around him;
righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.
3 Fire goes before him
and burns up his adversaries all around.
4 His lightnings light up the world;
the earth sees and trembles.
5 The mountains melt like wax before the Lord,
before the Lord of all the earth.6 The heavens proclaim his righteousness,
and all the peoples see his glory.
7 All worshipers of images are put to shame,
who make their boast in worthless idols;
worship him, all you gods!8 Zion hears and is glad,
and the daughters of Judah rejoice,
because of your judgments, O Lord.
9 For you, O Lord, are most high over all the earth;
you are exalted far above all gods.10 O you who love the Lord, hate evil!
He preserves the lives of his saints;
he delivers them from the hand of the wicked.
11 Light is sown[a] for the righteous,
and joy for the upright in heart.
12 Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous,
and give thanks to his holy name!
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.
Today’s reflection is inspired by the recent Artemis 2 Mission to the Moon. We will draw our reflection from various verses in Scripture.
The View from Above
A historical moment happened this month as the Artemis II mission soared around the far side of the moon. It was on an unprecedented path that reached deeper into space than any human has traveled before.
Few of us here will have this opportunity in our lifetimes: to see the earth from outer space. This view of earth from above evokes some responses.
Science author and philosopher Frank White in 1987 called this the “overview effect”. It refers to a shift in perspective that occurs when humans are given the chance to view Earth in the context of its cosmic backdrop. This is opposite to how we may view from below and look up at the stars and marvel at the majesty of creation. This “from below” view is expressed in Psalm 8, where the psalmist said, “You have set your glory above the heavens” (Psalm 8:1).
One observation of this view from above is how habitable and welcoming earth is to life. Anything outside of her is death. It drives home the truth of how perfectly suited the planet is for our habitation and how unforgiving the great beyond appears. In space, everything has to be specially designed to keep the astronauts alive. A small error can be fatal.
Scripture affirms that Earth is uniquely prepared for human life: “The highest heavens belong to the Lord, but the earth he has given to mankind”(Psalm 115:16). Likewise, “He did not create it to be empty, but formed it to be inhabited” (Isaiah 45:18). Some space traveller looked at the outer darkness and said that they see death (cf. Matthew 8:12). There is a more profound appreciation of earthly life when one leaves it. There is only one “tiny blue dot” where we can inhabit and there is no place else for us to go.
Another observation is that there are no borders on earth. There are no political or religious lines. These are found only on human-made maps. We know this all along, but when viewed from space, this truth becomes more profound. Earth seems like just one place which we and the rest of creation could inhabit. This echoes Paul’s address at Areopagus: “from one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth” (Acts 17:26).
We have so much in common in contrast to the hostile universe, and it is remarkable that we have the tendency to separate ourselves from others and focus on self-destructive conflicts. Yet Scripture calls us to unity: “There is neither Jew nor Gentile… for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28), and reminds us that “how good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!” (Psalm 133:1).
Of course, as one views the thin ozone layers which makes earth habitable, there is a profound reminder of what has been gifted to us. Creation itself is sustained by God’s providence: “He himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else” (Acts 17:25), and “in him all things hold together” (Colossians 1:17). So, we need to be better stewards of her during our watch and not destroy it for future generations. From the beginning, humanity was entrusted with this responsibility: “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). We are also warned against destroying what God has made (cf. Revelation 11:18).
Whether through Scripture or viewing earth from above, may these truths remind us to live well, alone and together on this lone paradise in a vast and hostile universe.
Take a moment to pray. Is there someone whom you should forgive? Is there a conflict which you should desist from? And keep our troubled world in our prayers.
We end with this ancient Celtic prayer:
Creator of the cosmos,
of eternity and time:
Be with us in this time
Saviour of the world,
healer of the nations:
Be with us in this place
Breath of all that lives,
of people near and far
Stir within our lives
Maker-Spirit-Son
God of here and now:
Be present in our worship,
that we may find new ways
to be present in your world.
Amen.
Be blessed by this song, Hallelujahs by Chris Rice.
A purple sky to close the day
I wade the surf where dolphins play
The taste of salt, the dance of waves
And my soul wells up with hallelujahs
A lightning flash, my pounding heart
A breaching whale, a shooting star
Give testimony that you are
And my soul wells up with hallelujahs
Oh praise Him all His mighty works
There is no language where you can’t be heard
Your song goes out to all the Earth
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah!
O cratered moon and sparrow’s wings
O thunder’s boom and Saturn’s rings
Unveil our Father as you sing
And my soul wells up with hallelujahs
Oh praise Him all His mighty works
There is no language where you can’t be heard
Your song goes out to all the Earth
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah!
The pulse of life within my wrist
A fallen snow, a rising mist
There is no higher praise than this
And my soul wells up
O my soul wells up
Yes my soul wells up with hallelujahs
Oh praise Him all His mighty works
There is no language where you can’t be heard
Your song goes out to all the Earth
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah!
O hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah!
Album: Deep Enough to Dream
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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