Daily Devotions for Sunday, January 18, 2026: One Hope, One Foundation

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The Daily Devotional

Sunday, January 18, 2026

One Hope, One Foundation

“There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling.” — Ephesians 4:4

Introduction

We have arrived at a sacred time in the church calendar: The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. Spanning from the Confession of St. Peter on January 18th to the Conversion of St. Paul on January 25th, this octave is a time when the fractured family of God—from Orthodox to Pentecostal, Anglican to Reformed—pauses to remember our essential oneness. In 2026, our hearts turn to the fourth chapter of Ephesians. Here, the Apostle Paul reminds a diverse early church that despite their differences, they share a singular spiritual DNA.

Reflection

It is easy to look at the global Church, with its thousands of denominations and disagreements, and see only division. We often focus on the walls that separate us rather than the foundation that holds us up.

Consider the construction of a large family home. On a job site, you see a chaotic mix of workers: framers, electricians, plumbers, roofers, and masons. They wear different uniforms, use different tools, and speak different technical languages. The plumber doesn't try to do the electrician's job, and the roofer doesn't pour the concrete. To an outsider, they might look like separate teams with separate agendas.

However, they are all reading from the same set of blueprints. They are all paid by the same owner, and they are all building toward the same purpose: a home where a family can dwell in safety. If the framers decided they were the only "true" builders and locked out the electricians, the house would remain dark. If the roofers refused to work with the masons, the structure would crumble.

The Body of Christ is God’s building project. We may wear different "uniforms"—robes, suits, or jeans. We may use different "tools"—liturgy, spontaneous prayer, or silence. But Ephesians 4:4 reminds us that there is only one Spirit animating the work and one hope waiting at the finish. Our distinct traditions are not contradictions; they are specialized trades working on the same great House of God.

Application

This week, challenge yourself to look past the "uniform" of a Christian from a different tradition. Perhaps it is a neighbor who attends a different church, or a coworker whose theology differs from yours. Instead of focusing on where you disagree, identify the "one hope" you share. Make a conscious effort to speak a word of encouragement to them, acknowledging them as a fellow worker on God’s great building site.

Conclusion

Unity is not about uniformity; we do not all need to be the same. Unity is about recognizing that beneath our different practices and histories, the same breath of the Spirit fills our lungs. When we stand together, despite our differences, we offer the world a glimpse of the Kingdom—a house built on the solid rock of Christ, with room for everyone he has called.

Prayer

Gracious and unifying God, who breathes life into the one Body of Christ, we thank You for the diversity of Your family. Forgive us for the times we have focused on the walls that divide us rather than the foundation that unites us. As we walk through this Week of Prayer, open our eyes to see our brothers and sisters in every tradition as fellow heirs of the one hope of our calling. Bind us together with cords of love that cannot be broken, so that the world may believe. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ, our Cornerstone. Amen.

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Devotional by: Kenny Sallee, ThM — Deming, NM, USA

The Bible texts are from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) Bible, copyright © 1989, 1993, the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.