Daily Devotion

Voice: Emily

Today is Wednesday, 24th of June. We also commemorate the work and life of John the Baptist today.

We join the psalmist to praise the Lord in the words of Psalm 149:

Praise the Lord!
Sing to the Lord a new song,
    his praise in the assembly of the godly!
² Let Israel be glad in his Maker;
    let the children of Zion rejoice in their King!
³ Let them praise his name with dancing,
    making melody to him with tambourine and lyre!
⁴ For the Lord takes pleasure in his people;
    he adorns the humble with salvation.
⁵ Let the godly exult in glory;
    let them sing for joy on their beds.
⁶ Let the high praises of God be in their throats
    and two-edged swords in their hands,
⁷ to execute vengeance on the nations
    and punishments on the peoples,
⁸ to bind their kings with chains
    and their nobles with fetters of iron,
⁹ to execute on them the judgment written!
    This is honor for all his godly ones.
Praise the Lord!

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.

John 3: 25-30

²⁵ Now a discussion arose between some of John’s disciples and a Jew over purification. ²⁶ And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, he who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you bore witness—look, he is baptizing, and all are going to him.” ²⁷ John answered, “A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven. ²⁸ You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him.’ ²⁹ The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete. ³⁰ He must increase, but I must decrease.”

Reflection

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John the Baptist had drawn a following through his powerful ministry. But when Jesus began His public work, some of John’s disciples became concerned that people—some of their own—were now turning to Jesus.

John’s responses reveal the heart of Christian ministry. This is the posture every pastor, minister, or Christian leader must embrace.

Whatever gifts we possess—speaking, leading, shepherding—are not ours to own. They are entrusted to us by God for a season.

We are not the Christ; we are only His messengers.

Like the friend of the bridegroom, we rejoice not in the crowd that gathers around us, but in seeing His bride—the Church – come before their Groom. The people we lead do not belong to us; they belong to Him.

Ministry is never about position, power, career progression or even personal fulfillment. We certainly should never engage in ministry to gain control over others or to build our reputation. It is the quiet giving over of ourselves for God and others.

In the end, as He is exalted, we are content to fade. The less we are seen, the better. In a paradoxical way, in not seeking to establish our legacy, we leave behind a legacy. That was what John the Baptist did. In wanting to be forgotten, we remember what he did and we are encouraged to follow his example.

He must increase and we must decrease.

For the only affirmation we seek will be from Him:
“Well done, good and faithful servant.” (Matthew 25:23)

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We end with the Collect of the Day:

Almighty God,
by whose providence your servant John the Baptist was wonderfully born, and sent to prepare the way of your Son our Saviour
by the preaching of repentance:
lead us to repent according to his preaching
and, after his example, constantly to speak the truth,
boldly to rebuke vice, and patiently to suffer for the truth’s sake;
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 The Stand sung by Halal

You stood before creation
Eternity in Your hands
And You spoke the earth into motion
My soul now to stand

You stood before my failure
And carried the cross for my shame
My sin weighed upon Your shoulders
My soul now to stand

So, what could I say?
What could I do?
But offer this heart O God
Completely to You

So I’ll walk upon salvation
Your Spirit alive in me
This life to declare Your promise
My soul now to stand

So, what can I say?
And what can I do?
But offer this heart O God
Completely to You

So, what could I say?
And what could I do?
But offer this heart O God
Completely to You

Sing “I’ll stand”

So I’ll stand with arms high and heart abandoned
In awe of the One who gave it all
I’ll stand, my soul, Lord to You surrendered
All I am is Yours (I’ll stand)

I’ll stand with arms high and heart abandoned
In awe of the One who gave it all
‘Cause I’ll stand, my soul, Lord to You surrendered
All I am is Yours (oh, Lord, we will stand)

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.