Voice: Li Huan
Today is Friday, the 1st of May. As we start another month, be still before the Lord of time.
Psalm 139:1-10
O Lord, you have searched me and known me!
2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
you discern my thoughts from afar.
3 You search out my path and my lying down
and are acquainted with all my ways.
4 Even before a word is on my tongue,
behold, O Lord, you know it altogether.
5 You hem me in, behind and before,
and lay your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
it is high; I cannot attain it.7 Where shall I go from your Spirit?
Or where shall I flee from your presence?
8 If I ascend to heaven, you are there!
If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!
9 If I take the wings of the morning
and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
10 even there your hand shall lead me,
and your right hand shall hold 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.
James 1:1-12
1James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,
To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion:
Greetings.
2Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
5If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. 6But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. 7For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
9Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation, 10and the rich in his humiliation, because like a flower of the grass he will pass away. 11For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits.
12Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.
This is the Word of the Lord
Thanks be to God.
The Feast of Philip and James
Today the Church remembers Philip the Apostle and James son of Alphaeus, two of the twelve chosen by Jesus Christ.
Philip is often remembered for his evangelistic zeal and honest, searching questions—questions that opened the way to deeper revelation (John 14:8–9). James the Less, though less prominent in the Gospel narratives, represents quiet faithfulness and steadfast leadership in the early Church. Together, they remind us of two vital pillars of ministry: evangelism and shepherding.
We reflect today from Epistle of James 1.
Philip’s life shows us that ministry is not confined to stability or comfort. After the persecution in Jerusalem, he was scattered—displaced and likely uncertain of his future. Yet it was precisely in that “in-between” season that his evangelistic ministry flourished. In Acts 8:26–40, he was led by the Spirit to the Ethiopian official, faithfully proclaiming Christ in a moment that would bear fruit far beyond what he could see.
Hardship did not hinder his calling—it clarified it.
James reminds us of the same truth:
“Count it all joy… when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.” (James 1:2–3)
Trials are not interruptions to ministry; they are often the very means by which God forms us for it. The early Christians knew this well. Many endured suffering, displacement, and even martyrdom—yet remained steadfast in Christ and His Gospel.
Whatever you may be facing today—uncertainty, weariness, or hardship—will you remain faithful to the ministry God has entrusted to you?
It may be the call to proclaim the Gospel.
It may be the quiet work of tending His flock.
Either way, the call is the same:
“Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season…” — 2 Timothy 4:2
The times may change. Circumstances may shift. But the call remains.
Like Philip, will you be ready to speak when the Spirit leads?
Like James, will you endure with quiet steadfastness?
May we, like these apostles, be found faithful—both in the scattering and in the gathering, in hardship and in peace—serving Christ and His Church with courage and perseverance.
The ultimate words of commendation we long to hear one day are not: “Well done, my successful and brilliant servant,” but:
“Well done, my good and faithful servant.”
Prayer: According to the Cycle of prayer, pray for our Bishop Titus Chung and all staff and officials who are serving in our Diocese.
We pray this Collect:
O Almighty God, whom truly to know is everlasting life:
Grant us perfectly to know thy Son Jesus Christ to be the way, the truth, and the life;
that, following the steps of thy holy Apostles, Saint Philip and Saint James,
we may steadfastly walk in the way that leadeth to eternal life. Amen.
We end with this hymn by Sarah Groves, He’s Always been Faithful:
Great is thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me.
Morning by morning, I wake up to find
The power and comfort of God’s hand in mine
Season by season, I watch Him, amazed
In awe of the mystery of His perfect ways
All I have need of, His hand will provide
He’s always been faithful to me
I can’t remember a trial or a pain
He did not recycle to bring me gain
I can’t remember one single regret
In serving God only and trusting His hand
All I have need of, His hand will provide
He’s always been faithful to me
This is my anthem, this is my song
The theme of the stories I’ve heard for so long
God has been faithful, He will be again
His loving compassion, it knows no end
All I have need of, His hand will provide
He’s always been faithful
He’s always been faithful
He’s always been faithful to me
Daily Devotion 
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