Voice: Bernice
Today is Friday, 6th of October. The night has passed, and the day lies open before us; let us pray with one heart and mind.
Silence is kept.
As we rejoice in the gift of this new day,
so may the light of your presence, O God,
set our hearts on fire with love for you;
now and for ever.
Amen.
Psalm 139:1-10
O Lord, you have searched me and known me!
2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
you discern my thoughts from afar.
3 You search out my path and my lying down
and are acquainted with all my ways.
4 Even before a word is on my tongue,
behold, O Lord, you know it altogether.
5 You hem me in, behind and before,
and lay your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
it is high; I cannot attain it.
7 Where shall I go from your Spirit?
Or where shall I flee from your presence?
8 If I ascend to heaven, you are there!
If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!
9 If I take the wings of the morning
and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
10 even there your hand shall lead me,
and your right hand shall hold 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.
Philippians 3:7-16
7But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—10that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
12Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. 13Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 15Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. 16Only let us hold true to what we have attained.
This is the Word of the Lord
Thanks be to God
For some, life is a collection of achievements. We often look back, recalling what we have accomplished. Like badges of honour pinned to a soldier’s uniform, we carry our own milestones in our minds, cherishing them as the meaningful sum of our lives.
Paul, however, is looking ahead. He has much in his past that he could take pride in, but he no longer considers these things his greatest gain. Compared with the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus his Lord, they are loss. He does not linger over them or allow them to define him.
Instead, he is focused on pursuing Christ. He wants to know him, to experience the power of his resurrection, and to share in his sufferings. His desire is to become like Christ.
Paul does not claim to have arrived. He presses on because Christ Jesus has made him his own. Secure in Christ’s hold on him, he can forget what lies behind and strain towards what lies ahead.
His confidence rests in the righteousness that comes from God through faith in Christ. And as he presses forward, he urges us to hold true to what we have already attained.
This focus, simplicity and clarity shape Paul’s life and ministry. Knowing Christ is worth more to him than everything he once counted as gain.
What about us? Are we spending more time recalling our achievements than growing in our knowledge of Christ? What do we need to leave behind so that we can press on?
Today, let us give thanks that Christ has made us his own, and ask him to help us take the next faithful step towards knowing and becoming like him.
The Prayer of St. Bernard of Clairvaux (1090 – 1153)
Jesus, the very thought of you with sweetness fills the breast;
But sweeter far your face to see, And in your presence rest.
Nor voice can sing, nor heart can frame, Nor can the memory find a sweeter sound than your blessed Name, O Savior of mankind!
O hope of every contrite heart, O joy of all the meek,
To those who fall, how kind you are! How good to those who seek!
O Jesus, light of all below, fount of living fire, surpassing all the joys we know, and all we can desire.
Abide with us, and let your light shine, Lord, on every heart;
Dispel the darkness of our night; And joy to all impart. Amen.
In closing, be blessed by this heartfelt song, The More I Seek You by Jessie Harris.
The more I seek You The more I find You
The more I find You The more I love You
I wanna sit at Your feet
Drink from the cup in
Your hand Lay back against You and breath
Feel Your heartbeat
This love is so deep
It’s more than I can stand
I melt in Your peace, it’s overwhelming
Listen to “The More I Seek You” (Chapel Sessions) on digital music platforms: https://gatewayworship.lnk.to/chapels…
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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