Voice: Bernice
Today is Thursday, 23rd of July. Take a moment to be still in His presence.
We read Psalm 90:1-17
1Lord, you have been our dwelling place
in all generations.
2 Before the mountains were brought forth,
or ever you had formed the earth and the world,
from everlasting to everlasting you are God.
3You return man to dust
and say, “Return, O children of man!”
4For a thousand years in your sight
are but as yesterday when it is past,
or as a watch in the night.
5You sweep them away as with a flood; they are like a dream,
like grass that is renewed in the morning:
6in the morning it flourishes and is renewed;
in the evening it fades and withers.
7For we are brought to an end by your anger;
by your wrath we are dismayed.
8You have set our iniquities before you,
our secret sins in the light of your presence.
9For all our days pass away under your wrath;
we bring our years to an end like a sigh.
10The years of our life are seventy,
or even by reason of strength eighty;
yet their span is but toil and trouble;
they are soon gone, and we fly away.
11Who considers the power of your anger,
and your wrath according to the fear of you?
12 So teach us to number our days
that we may get a heart of wisdom.
13 Return, O Lord ! How long?
Have pity on your servants!
14Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love,
that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.
15Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us,
and for as many years as we have seen evil.
16Let your work be shown to your servants,
and your glorious power to their children.
17Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us,
and establish the work of our hands upon us;
yes, establish the work of our hands!
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 12: 19-25
19And all the people said to Samuel, “Pray for your servants to the Lord your God, that we may not die, for we have added to all our sins this evil, to ask for ourselves a king.”
20And Samuel said to the people, “Do not be afraid; you have done all this evil. Yet do not turn aside from following the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart.
21And do not turn aside after empty things that cannot profit or deliver, for they are empty.
22For the Lord will not forsake his people, for his great name’s sake, because it has pleased the Lord to make you a people for himself.
23Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray for you, and I will instruct you in the good and the right way.
24Only fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart. For consider what great things he has done for you.
25But if you still do wickedly, you shall be swept away, both you and your king.”
This is the Word of the Lord
Thanks be to God
Do Not Turn Aside
If you have been following the readings from 1 Samuel, you will know that the people of Israel request for a new political arrangement. They want to emulate the powerful nations around them who were led by kings.
In asking for a king, it was also implied that they did not trust the Lord as their true King. They therefore pleaded with Samuel:
“Pray for your servants to the LORD your God, that we may not die.”
Samuel did not minimise their sin.
“You have done all this evil.”
Yet neither did he leave them in despair.
“Do not be afraid… do not turn aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart.”
This is the gracious rhythm of repentance. God exposes sin, but He does not call the repentant sinner to remain paralysed by guilt. What has been done is done and there is no turning back. Yet we can still choose to live rightly and that it self is true repentance.
Thank about the many situations where Christians have sinned and found themselves in an irreversible situation, such as a wrong but committed relationship. Will God extend His grace of second chance?
The basis of Israel’s hope was not their faithfulness, but God’s:
“The LORD will not forsake his people, for his great name’s sake.”
God remained committed to them because of His own character and covenant purposes. Their sin was real, but His mercy was greater.
Samuel then made a striking personal commitment:
“Far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by ceasing to pray for you.”
For Samuel, prayer was not an optional part of leadership. To stop praying for the people would itself be a sin. He would continue to intercede for them and instruct them in “the good and the right way.”
I can recall (here I speak on behalf of the writer of this devotion who is a clergy) some painful decisions where I decided to remain caring pastor to some who have made a wrong turn in their lives. “I can’t approve of what you have done, but I remain here to be your pastor.”
We heard echoes of this grave in this passage.
The passage ends with a call to remember:
“Consider what great things he has done for you.”
Recollection strengthens obedience. When we remember God’s goodness, we are moved to repent, to fear Him, serve Him and remain faithful.
The message is both comforting and searching: You have sinned, but do not turn aside. Return to the Lord, reject what is empty, remember His faithfulness and serve Him with all your heart.
In closing we pray the Collect for today:
Lord of all power and might,
the author and giver of all good things:
graft in our hearts the love of your name,
increase in us true religion, nourish us with all goodness,
and of your great mercy keep us in the same;
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
Join in to worship the Lord in these familiar songs:
We are standing on holy ground
And I know that there are angels
All around
Let us praise Jesus now
We are standing in his presence
On holy ground
This is holy ground
We’re standing on holy ground
For the Lord is present
And where He is is holy
This is holy ground
We’re standing on holy ground
For the Lord is present
And where He is is holy
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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