Monday 19 January 2026

Psalm 119:97-112

Background
Yesterday, I wrote that the most important calling of the Church, no matter what denomination we belong to, is to be disciples and make disciples. The passage for today, from the first letter of John, points us to another important calling of the Church: to become ‘children of God’ (v. 1) and therefore siblings in Christ.

We are made children of God because of God’s love, says the writer of the letter (who was part of the ‘Johannine Community’ of early Christians, and may even have been John, the gospel writer, himself). God gives us this gift of becoming God’s children freely – it is an act of grace. Grace comes from God and we are called to extend it to others. Grace is an important quality to practise and pray for. If we are gracious and generous of heart, we have more peaceful relationships with one another and can build God’s kingdom together. If, on the other hand, we are resentful, judgmental and always jumping to negative conclusions about one another, we create an atmosphere of gossip and disunity.

There is a reason Jesus spoke so frequently about not judging others. It’s important that we remember to extend grace towards our siblings in Christ – both in our church and in other churches and denominations. We do not have to agree on everything, but we must be united in love. God cannot move or work in a Church that is divided and lacking in familial love. We are siblings in Christ and children of God. In this Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, let’s remember to love one another just as God first loved us.

To Ponder:

• Read the first part of John’s Gospel (John 1:1-14). How do you understand the concept of becoming ‘children of God’ after reading today’s passage and the passage from John’s Gospel?
• How can you help relationships to grow both in your church and between different churches where you live?

Prayer
Dear Father (and Mother), we come to you as your children, asking for your help in uniting your Church. We are all your children and yet we forget that this makes us siblings in Christ. Remind us of your calling to unity and help us to build healthy and loving relationships between different churches and church members. Amen.

Bible notes author: Ruth Wilde
Ruth Wilde is a lay pastor at Emmanuel URC/Methodist church in Redditch, Worcestershire. She works in that role four days a week and spends one day a week as Tutor for the Inclusion of Disabled People and Equality Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) at Luther King Theological College. She was previously National Coordinator of the charity Inclusive Church, for which she edited the book How to Build the Church of the Future (SCM Press).