Voice: Li Huan
Today is Friday, 24th 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 31:1-10
In you, O Lord, do I take refuge;
let me never be put to shame;
in your righteousness deliver me!
2 Incline your ear to me;
rescue me speedily!
Be a rock of refuge for me,
a strong fortress to save me!
3 For you are my rock and my fortress;
and for your name’s sake you lead me and guide me;
4 you take me out of the net they have hidden for me,
for you are my refuge.
5 Into your hand I commit my spirit;
you have redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God.
6 I hate those who pay regard to worthless idols,
but I trust in the Lord.
7 I will rejoice and be glad in your steadfast love,
because you have seen my affliction;
you have known the distress of my soul,
8 and you have not delivered me into the hand of the enemy;
you have set my feet in a broad place.
9 Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am in distress;
my eye is wasted from grief;
my soul and my body also.
10 For my life is spent with sorrow,
and my years with sighing;
my strength fails because of my iniquity,
and my bones waste away.
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.
Exodus 28:29-38
29 So Aaron shall bear the names of the sons of Israel in the breastpiece of judgment on his heart, when he goes into the Holy Place, to bring them to regular remembrance before the Lord. 30 And in the breastpiece of judgment you shall put the Urim and the Thummim, and they shall be on Aaron’s heart, when he goes in before the Lord. Thus Aaron shall bear the judgment of the people of Israel on his heart before the Lord regularly.
31 “You shall make the robe of the ephod all of blue. 32 It shall have an opening for the head in the middle of it, with a woven binding around the opening, like the opening in a garment, so that it may not tear. 33 On its hem you shall make pomegranates of blue and purple and scarlet yarns, around its hem, with bells of gold between them, 34 a golden bell and a pomegranate, a golden bell and a pomegranate, around the hem of the robe. 35 And it shall be on Aaron when he ministers, and its sound shall be heard when he goes into the Holy Place before the Lord, and when he comes out, so that he does not die.
36 “You shall make a plate of pure gold and engrave on it, like the engraving of a signet, ‘Holy to the Lord.’ 37 And you shall fasten it on the turban by a cord of blue. It shall be on the front of the turban. 38 It shall be on Aaron’s forehead, and Aaron shall bear any guilt from the holy things that the people of Israel consecrate as their holy gifts. It shall regularly be on his forehead, that they may be accepted before the Lord.
This is the Word of the Lord
Thanks be to God
Worship in the Beauty of Holiness
Aaron was appointed to serve as the High Priest, entering the Holy Place to represent the people before the Lord. His vestments—the breastpiece bearing the names of the tribes, the ephod, the robe, the tunic, the turban, the sash, and even the bells—were elaborate and intentional.
His attire points us to the glory and holiness of God. It also reminds us that worship is not merely functional—it is beautiful. Colour, texture, sound, and artistry all have their place in approaching God. At the same time, these garments speak of grace: one must be clothed in holiness. A way had to be made for sinful humanity to come before a holy God.
To modern minds, such elaborate rituals may seem foreign, even excessive. Yet elements of this richness remain in traditions such as the Coptic and Orthodox Churches. While some Evangelicals may hesitate at these expressions, they often embody profound theological truths—the holiness of God and the grace by which we draw near through Jesus Christ. The visuals, sounds, and even scents serve as reminders of these deeper realities, even when symbolic.
Though many of us do not practise such rituals today, this passage still speaks clearly: the fear of the Lord must not be taken lightly. Worship ought to be both beautiful and reverent.
What might this look like for us in a modern context?
It begins with the heart. We come not casually, but consciously, before God.
We prepare ourselves—by being punctual, by quieting our hearts, and by praying before the service begins. We dress not to impress others, but as a simple act of honour toward the One we are meeting.
We engage fully. When we sing, we attend to the words. When Scripture is read, we listen with reverence. When we confess, we do so sincerely.
Even our bodies can participate in worship—through kneeling, standing, or lifting our hands—reminding us that worship involves our whole being.
In giving, whether physical or online, we do not act mechanically. We pray, we consider, and we offer with intention.
And when we come to Holy Communion, we do so thoughtfully—remembering that we are welcomed not by our worthiness, but by Christ’s sacrifice.
In all these ways, we recover something of what Aaron’s garments pointed toward: that approaching God is both a privilege and a holy act.
Can you think of other ways to approach God with reverence and awe?
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.
Be blessed by this song, Teach me to Worship You by Quek Li Huan
Teach me to worship You
Teach me to adore You
I want to love You with my whole being
To learn to praise Your name
Each day to do the same
Teach me O Lord the way
To worship You
I want to worship You
I want to adore You
I want to love You with my whole being
To forsake my sinful ways
To look upon Your face
And understand Your grace
O Lord my God
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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