Voice: Doreen
Today is Wednesday, 9th of September. Take a moment to be still in His presence.
Psalm 119:1-8
Blessed are those whose way is blameless,
who walk in the law of the Lord!
2 Blessed are those who keep his testimonies,
who seek him with their whole heart,
3 who also do no wrong,
but walk in his ways!
4 You have commanded your precepts
to be kept diligently.
5 Oh that my ways may be steadfast
in keeping your statutes!
6 Then I shall not be put to shame,
having my eyes fixed on all your commandments.
7 I will praise you with an upright heart,
when I learn your righteous rules.[b]
8 I will keep your statutes;
do not utterly forsake me!
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 14:8-18
8 Now at Lystra there was a man sitting who could not use his feet. He was crippled from birth and had never walked. 9 He listened to Paul speaking. And Paul, looking intently at him and seeing that he had faith to be made well, 10 said in a loud voice, “Stand upright on your feet.” And he sprang up and began walking.11 And when the crowds saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in Lycaonian, “The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!”12 Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the chief speaker. 13 And the priest of Zeus, whose temple was at the entrance to the city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates and wanted to offer sacrifice with the crowds. 14 But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their garments and rushed out into the crowd, crying out, 15 “Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men, of like nature with you, and we bring you good news, that you should turn from these vain things to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them. 16 In past generations he allowed all the nations to walk in their own ways. 17 Yet he did not leave himself without witness, for he did good by giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness.” 18 Even with these words they scarcely restrained the people from offering sacrifice to them
This is the Word of the Lord
Thanks be to God
At Lystra, Paul encountered a man who had been unable to walk from birth. As the man listened, Paul looked intently at him and saw that he had faith to be healed.
Paul called out:
“Stand upright on your feet.”
Immediately, the man sprang up and began to walk.
It was an extraordinary miracle. Yet instead of recognising the living God, the people interpreted what had happened through the lens of their existing beliefs. They concluded that Barnabas and Paul must be gods who had come down in human form.
If you have seen The Odyssey, you would have encountered the world of the Greek gods. Greek mythology has, in fact, featured in countless films and stories. Zeus was regarded as the chief god of the Greek pantheon, while Hermes was known as the messenger of the gods.
The people called Barnabas “Zeus,” perhaps because he was older or appeared sufficiently dignified and imposing. Paul, because he was the principal speaker, was called “Hermes.”
The priest of the temple of Zeus then brought oxen and garlands, preparing to offer sacrifices to Barnabas and Paul.
The two apostles were horrified. They tore their garments—a public expression of grief and distress—and rushed into the crowd, crying out:
“We also are men, of like nature with you.”
Perhaps the sight of the two apostles with their garments torn—especially the older Barnabas—helped confirm the truth of what they were saying: “Look at us. We are only human!”
Their reaction offers us a poignant reminder. The apostles’ mission was to preach Christ and Him crucified. For the messengers themselves to be regarded as gods would have represented a complete failure of that mission. The people had not only failed to recognise Christ as Lord; they had also begun giving divine honour to His messengers.
Let us pause for a moment.
We should honour pastors and ministers of the Gospel. Of course. Scripture teaches us to respect those who labour faithfully among us. But do we sometimes place them on a pedestal?
Modern society is deeply shaped by celebrity culture. We treat those who acquire fame, influence or power almost as gods. Unfortunately, this attitude can enter the Church as well.
Unlike Paul and Barnabas, we may no longer tear our clothes when people idolise us. Instead, we put on our suits and ties and enjoy the attention. Some Christian leaders begin to behave like celebrities—the modern gods of our age—and their followers willingly play along.
After all, human “gods” can exist only when other mortals continue to exalt them.
This incident therefore calls us back to the clarity and purity of our mission. Ministers are only messengers. The power is God’s, the Gospel is Christ’s, and the glory belongs to Him alone.
Only Christ should be worshipped and glorified. And if others put His messengers on the throne, may that always leave us horrified.
We pray the Collect for the Day:
Almighty God,
whose only Son has opened for us
a new and living way into your presence:
give us pure hearts and steadfast wills
to worship you in spirit and in truth;
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 this worship medley, by Caleb and Kelsey.
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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