Voice: Jennifer
Today is Monday, 10th of August. 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 71:1-9
1 In you, O Lord, do I take refuge;
let me never be put to shame!
2 In your righteousness deliver me and rescue me;
incline your ear to me, and save me!
3 Be to me a rock of refuge,
to which I may continually come;
you have given the command to save me,
for you are my rock and my fortress.
4 Rescue me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked,
from the grasp of the unjust and cruel man.
5 For you, O Lord, are my hope,
my trust, O Lord, from my youth.
6 Upon you I have leaned from before my birth;
you are he who took me from my mother’s womb.
My praise is continually of you.
7 I have been as a portent to many,
but you are my strong refuge.
8 My mouth is filled with your praise,
and with your glory all the day.
9 Do not cast me off in the time of old age;
forsake me not when my strength is spent.
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.
Acts 3:11-16
11While he clung to Peter and John, all the people, utterly astounded, ran together to them in the portico called Solomon’s.
12And when Peter saw it he addressed the people: “Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we have made him walk?
13The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified his servant Jesus, whom you delivered over and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release him.
14But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you,
15and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses.
16And his name—by faith in his name—has made this man strong whom you see and know, and the faith that is through Jesus has given the man this perfect health in the presence of you all.
This is the Word of the Lord
Thanks be to God
We have in Acts 3, the healing of the man who begged for alms but got legs instead.
This powerful, visible miracle gave Peter an opportunity to preach the gospel. Yet Peter immediately redirected the crowd’s attention: “Why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we had made him walk?”
Peter refused to take credit for what God had done. The healing did not come through the apostles’ ability or spiritual goodness. It came through Jesus—the Holy and Righteous One whom the people had rejected, but whom God raised from the dead.
Peter declared that Jesus had given the man “perfect health in the presence of you all.”
What did “perfect health” mean? It need not imply that the man would never experience another illness. It means that his disabled feet and ankles had been made completely sound. This was especially remarkable because he had been unable to walk from birth. Yet he immediately began “walking and leaping and praising God” (Acts 3:8). Later, he clung to Peter and John, perhaps out of gratitude and wonder at what had happened.
Some of us have experienced divine healing or witnessed it in others. We may pray that such healings will occur more often so that more people may come to know our loving God. The man’s healing drew a crowd, but Peter ensured that the crowd heard about Jesus. The miracle was not an end in itself; it was a sign pointing towards the Author of life.
At the same time, we should thank God for medical discoveries and treatments that heal illness and prolong life. Imagine how different our world would be if no effective ways had been found to counter COVID-19 and many other diseases.
In Miracles, C. S. Lewis explains that Christ’s miracles often accomplish in a moment what God ordinarily does gradually through nature. Natural and miraculous healing are therefore not competing works. Both can be received as gifts from God; they differ in how his healing is brought about.
Whether healing comes instantly or gradually, through prayer or medicine, our response should be like that of the healed man: walking, leaping and praising God. We should also imitate Peter by refusing to glorify ourselves or the human instruments God uses. The praise belongs to Jesus.
Ultimately, however, every earthly healing is temporary. We remain mortal, and physical health cannot be our final hope. As Jesus taught, we need not fear those who can kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Instead, we are to fear God, who alone holds authority over both body and soul (Matthew 10:28).
So we continue to look to him through this fragile life—giving thanks for every healing, trusting him in every illness, and hoping for the eternal life to come.
We pray the the Collect for National Day:
Almighty God
who desires all to be saved and come to the knowledge of Your truth,
help our national leaders to serve with wisdom,
a heart of compassion,
and with righteousness and justice.
We pray regularly for them
that we may live quiet and peaceful lives
in all godliness and holiness
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Be blessed this version of No Longer Slaves, sung by Voice of Lee
You unravel me with a melody
You surround me with a song
Of deliverance from my enemies
‘Til all my fears are gone
I’m no longer a slave to fear
I am a child of God
I’m no longer a slave to fear
I am a child of God
(Ooh, ooh)
From my mother’s womb
You have chosen me
Love has called my name
I’ve been born again to your family
Your blood flows through my veins
I’m no longer a slave to fear
I am a child of God
I’m no longer a slave to fear
I am a child of God
I’m no longer a slave to fear
I am a child of God
I’m no longer a slave to fear
I am a child of God
I am surrounded by the arms of the Father
I am surrounded by songs of deliverance
We’ve been liberated from our bondage
We’re the sons and the daughters
Let us sing our freedom
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.
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 terrywong@anglican.org.sg
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