Voice: Jennifer
Today is Thursday, 23rd of April. Whatever you are planning to do today, take a moment to commit your plans to the Lord.
Opening Sentence
Whom have I in heaven but you?
And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. Psalm 73:25
Psalm 5
Give ear to my words, O Lord;
consider my groaning.
2 Give attention to the sound of my cry,
my King and my God,
for to you do I pray.
3 O Lord, in the morning you hear my voice;
in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you[a] and watch.
4 For you are not a God who delights in wickedness;
evil may not dwell with you.
5 The boastful shall not stand before your eyes;
you hate all evildoers.
6 You destroy those who speak lies;
the Lord abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man.
7 But I, through the abundance of your steadfast love,
will enter your house.
I will bow down toward your holy temple
in the fear of you.
8 Lead me, O Lord, in your righteousness
because of my enemies;
make your way straight before me.
9 For there is no truth in their mouth;
their inmost self is destruction;
their throat is an open grave;
they flatter with their tongue.
10 Make them bear their guilt, O God;
let them fall by their own counsels;
because of the abundance of their transgressions cast them out,
for they have rebelled against you.
11 But let all who take refuge in you rejoice;
let them ever sing for joy,
and spread your protection over them,
that those who love your name may exult in you.
12 For you bless the righteous, O Lord;
you cover him with favor as with a shield.
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.
Joshua 1:1-9
1After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ assistant, 2“Moses my servant is dead. Now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, into the land that I am giving to them, to the people of Israel. 3Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given to you, just as I promised to Moses. 4From the wilderness and this Lebanon as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites to the Great Sea toward the going down of the sun shall be your territory. 5No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you. 6Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them. 7Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go. 8This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. 9Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
This is the Word of the Lord
Thanks be to God
Be not afraid
Today, we commemorate the life of Saint George, the patron saint of England. He was a 3rd-century Christian and Roman soldier, probably born in Cappadocia, who lived during the reign of Diocletian. He was executed around 303 AD during the Diocletianic Persecution because he refused to renounce his faith in Christ.
He is remembered as a martyr and became widely venerated in the early Church for his courage and steadfast witness. Later popular stories about dragons and heroic feats, however, belong to legend and are not historically reliable.
The theme of courage is echoed in the Scripture readings appointed for today. Joshua, who was about to enter the Promised Land, was commanded to be strong and courageous. In an age where war was common, such a command was necessary—one could be injured or even perish on the battlefield. Courage was also needed for arduous journeys or dangerous hunts.
Today, most of us are not exposed to such extreme situations. Life is generally more comfortable, especially in a city like Singapore, where we are protected in many ways.
Yet we still face moments that require courage—and sometimes, extraordinary courage.
It may be needed for a spiritual breakthrough.
It may be required when facing a medical operation.
It may arise in stepping into a difficult mission field.
Or perhaps in confronting a brother or sister in love, knowing the conversation will be hard but necessary.
The truth is, courage—whether small or great—is needed daily. Its opposite is fear. And fear has quietly undone many dreams and possibilities; it may well lie behind some of the losses in our own lives.
So hear again this constant refrain from Scripture—spoken by prophets, angels, the Lord Himself, and our Saviour Jesus Christ:
Do not be afraid.
Yes, my brothers and sisters: be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid.
Let this Word of the Lord carry you through this day. ✨
The Collect for today:
God of hosts,
who so kindled the flame of love in the heart of your servant George
that he bore witness to the risen Lord by his life and by his death:
give us the same faith and courage
that we who rejoice in his triumphs
may come to share with him the fullness of the resurrection;
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.
_____
In closing, be blessed by this song, Teresa’s Song (Dare I Go) by Ethel Yap
How does it feel to be completely alone
How does it feel to have no place to call home
To be a wanderer, forever to roam
Dare I go there with You?
What does it mean to walk in Your steps
What does it mean to give all that I have
Utterly stripped down, laid empty and bare
Dare I go there with You?
Dare I go there with You, Lord?
Dare I go there with You?
What does it look like to have nothing else but You
What does it mean to have all my delight be in You
To let Your joy become my clothes and my food
Fill my cup, Lord, to full
Dare I go there with You, Lord?
Dare I go there with You?
To You I plead, that You’ll supply all I need
Dare I go there with You?
Are You calling me to be hungry?
Are You calling me to be poor?
Am I learning each face is just You in disguise
Do I know that when I’m resting in Your love
Your grace is enough
Dare I go there with You, Lord?
Dare I go there with You?
To You I plead, that You’ll supply all I need
Dare I go there with You?
Help me be there with You
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
Daily Devotion 
Leave a comment