Voice: Bernice
Today is Wednesday, 15th of July. We pray:
O God of peace, who hast taught us that in returning and rest we shall be saved, in quietness and confidence shall be our strength: By the might of thy Spirit lift us, we pray thee, to thy presence, where we may be still and know that thou art God; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Psalm 119:153-160
153Look on my affliction and deliver me,
for I do not forget your law.
154 Plead my cause and redeem me;
give me life according to your promise!
155 Salvation is far from the wicked,
for they do not seek your statutes.
156 Great is your mercy, O Lord ;
give me life according to your rules.
157 Many are my persecutors and my adversaries,
but I do not swerve from your testimonies.
158I look at the faithless with disgust,
because they do not keep your commands.
159Consider how I love your precepts!
Give me life, O Lord , according to your steadfast love.
160 The sum of your word is truth,
and every one of your righteous rules endures forever.
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.
1 Samuel 7:12-17
7Now when the Philistines heard that the people of Israel had gathered at Mizpah, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the people of Israel heard of it, they were afraid of the Philistines.
8And the people of Israel said to Samuel, “Do not cease to cry out to the Lord our God for us, that he may save us from the hand of the Philistines.”
9So Samuel took a nursing lamb and offered it as a whole burnt offering to the Lord. And Samuel cried out to the Lord for Israel, and the Lord answered him.
10As Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to attack Israel. But the Lord thundered with a mighty sound that day against the Philistines and threw them into confusion, and they were defeated before Israel.
11And the men of Israel went out from Mizpah and pursued the Philistines and struck them, as far as below Beth-car.
12Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen and called its name Ebenezer; for he said, “Till now the Lord has helped us.” 13So the Philistines were subdued and did not again enter the territory of Israel. And the hand of the Lord was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel. 14The cities that the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron to Gath, and Israel delivered their territory from the hand of the Philistines. There was peace also between Israel and the Amorites.
15Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life. 16And he went on a circuit year by year to Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah. And he judged Israel in all these places. 17Then he would return to Ramah, for his home was there, and there also he judged Israel. And he built there an altar to the Lord.
Ebenezer
Samuel had just led the Israelites to a remarkable victory at Mizpah. Interestingly, it was won not by military might but through prayer. The people were fasting and seeking the Lord. Seeing Israel gathered, the Philistines seized what they thought was the perfect opportunity to attack. But the Lord intervened. He thundered from heaven, threw the Philistine army into confusion, and Israel prevailed.
To commemorate the victory, Samuel set up a stone and called it Ebenezer, saying,
“Till now the LORD has helped us.”
Yes, we all need our own “Ebenezers.” They may not be literal stones, but they are moments when we deliberately pause to remember how God has sustained us. We, too, can confess, “Till now the LORD has helped us.” Such recollection strengthens faith because it reminds us that the God who has helped us thus far will not abandon us tomorrow.
This discipline of remembering has always sustained God’s people. It anchors our present in the faithfulness of the past.
Our present moment is often limited by circumstances, emotions, or even spiritual and mental struggles. Although God is always present with us, there are seasons when His presence feels hidden and His assurances seem distant.
Think of those who are physically unwell, terminally ill, or burdened by the frailties of old age. Think of those walking through the valley of grief. At such times, people can become so exhausted that they struggle to sense the goodness and love of God.
This is where recollection becomes a gift. We return to our Ebenezer stones. We pause to remember what God has done in our lives, even if those memories seem distant. The Scriptures themselves are filled with such memorials, reminding us again and again of God’s mighty acts and faithful promises. Some of us even write notes in the margins of our Bibles to mark those occasions when God spoke to us in a particularly personal way.
Even Jesus practised recollection. When He faced the devil’s temptations in the wilderness, He recalled and stood upon the Word of God. At the Last Supper, He commanded His disciples, “Do this in remembrance of me.” Throughout the New Testament, believers are repeatedly called to remember what Christ accomplished on the cross and to recall the significance of their baptism into His death and resurrection.
When we remember, we are no longer imprisoned by the limitations of the present moment. We draw deeply from the vast reservoir of God’s faithfulness—our own experiences as well as the testimony of His people throughout the generations. The hymns we sing, the Scriptures we read, the sacraments we receive, and the stories of the saints all become Ebenezer stones, reminding us that God has been faithful and will remain faithful.
The Christian life is therefore not lived in thin fragments of passing moments. It is a rich and layered life, rooted in the God who was, who is, and who is to come. Our own story joins the great story of God’s people through the ages, and together they rise as one chorus of praise to the God who has done great things.
So, lay down your Ebenezer stones.
And remember to remember
We end with the Collect of the Day:
Merciful God,
you have prepared for those who love you such good things as pass our understanding;
pour into our hearts such love toward you
that we, loving you in all things and above all things,
may obtain your promises,
which exceed all that we can desire; 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.
Be blessed by a version of this hymn, Abide with Me, by Gentri.
1 Abide with me: fast falls the eventide;
the darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide.
When other helpers fail and comforts flee,
Help of the helpless, O abide with me.
2 Swift to its close ebbs out life’s little day;
earth’s joys grow dim, its glories pass away.
Change and decay in all around I see.
O thou who changest not, abide with me.
3 I need thy presence every passing hour.
What but thy grace can foil the tempter’s power?
Who like thyself my guide and strength can be?
Through cloud and sunshine, O abide with me.
Website: GENTRImusic.com
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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