Voice: Hali
Today is Monday, 15th of June. Be still in the Lord’s presence.
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.
Psalm 44:1-8
1O God, we have heard with our ears,
our fathers have told us,
what deeds you performed in their days,
in the days of old:
2you with your own hand drove out the nations,
but them you planted;
you afflicted the peoples,
but them you set free;
3for not by their own sword did they win the land,
nor did their own arm save them,
but your right hand and your arm,
and the light of your face,
for you delighted in them.
4 You are my King, O God;
ordain salvation for Jacob!
5Through you we push down our foes;
through your name we tread down those who rise up against us.
6For not in my bow do I trust,
nor can my sword save me.
7But you have saved us from our foes
and have put to shame those who hate us.
8 In God we have boasted continually,
and we will give thanks to your name forever. Selah
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.
Luke 13
6And he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none.
7And he said to the vinedresser, ‘Look, for three years now I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. Cut it down. Why should it use up the ground?’
8And he answered him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and put on manure.
9Then if it should bear fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.’”
This is the Word of the Lord
Thanks be to God
Why Should It Use Up the Ground?
Our parish, MPCC, has patches of ground where herbs and vegetables are grown. Basil, lemongrass, turmeric, pandan leaves, and various greens thrive with proper care. Those that do not grow well are eventually uprooted, and something else is planted in their place.
It is remarkable when one considers how much the ground can produce.
In a privately owned farm, where the land is expected to provide an income, the farmer is even more diligent. He waters, prunes, fertilises, and weeds. But if a plant repeatedly fails to produce despite every effort, he will eventually remove it. His desire is that the land should realise its full potential for the good of his family and future harvests.
Jesus uses this very image in the Parable of the Barren Fig Tree. After three years without fruit, the owner asks,
“Why should it use up the ground?” (Luke 13:7)
Imagine God as both the Owner and the Farmer of our lives. He lovingly tends every tree in His orchard, desiring that each one should flourish and bear fruit. He is committed to helping us reach our God-given potential. The fruit we bear today will produce seeds for generations to come, extending His kingdom long after we are gone.
But fruitlessness cannot continue forever. Why should a barren tree occupy ground that could produce an abundant harvest?
This theme appears repeatedly in the Gospels. Jesus also says,
“For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.”
(Matthew 25:29)
If these words sound like a warning, they are. Yet they are also an invitation.
There is immense God-given potential in every one of us. So much more than we often imagine. If we will keep our hearts humble and yielded to Him, allowing Him to prune, cultivate, and deepen our roots, there is no telling how He may use our lives for eternal purposes. He can glorify His name through us and make us a blessing to many others.
The alternative is indeed too dismal to ponder.
But the good news of the parable is that the Gardener still pleads for one more season. Today can be a start of that season.
We end with the Collect for today:
Lord, you have taught us that all our doings
without love are nothing worth:
send your Holy Spirit and pour into our hearts that most excellent gift of love, the true bond of peace and of all virtues,
without which whoever lives is counted dead before you.
Grant this for your only Son Jesus Christ’s sake,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.
We leave you with this beautiful song written by Earnest and Ming Li, Life Ordinary
In the ordinary
Love your God and fellow Man
Love your God and fellow Man
In every neighbor see a brother, and enemy a friend
Know the Church is meant to serve
Know the Church is meant to serve
And in our serving we are sowing,
living seeds on earth
The kind that brings new birth
In the ordinary
In the daily ordinary
For there our testimony
Will be a liturgy
Sacred liturgy
In life ordinary
To be like Jesus where we are
Be like Jesus where we are
In the nature of a servant and not a superstar
Yet we say but cannot do
Lord we say but cannot do
How we need the Holy Spirit
To help us carry through
Our plans to follow You
In the plain and simple
Live as sacramental
With the least of those He loves
In the ordinary
Let daily testimony
Be a sacred liturgy
Let daily testimony
Be a sacred liturgy
In life ordinary
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. Unless otherwise stated, the reflections are written by Revd Wong.
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. We also welcome donations to MPCC. Information on how you may give can be found in this link.
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