Genesis 28:13–15, 1 Corinthians 12:12–14, and John 17:20–22
There’s a difference between standing beside someone and truly growing with them.
One is about location. The other is about relationship, transformation, and trust. One can feel like coexistence. The other feels like community.
This week, we reflect on what it means to “grow together as one,” and we’re invited into a deeper understanding of what God is doing not only in us, but among us.
God Meets Us Where We Are
Genesis 28:13–15 tells of a night when Jacob – on the run, alone, uncertain – has a dream of God standing beside him. God speaks, not to scold or abandon him, but to reassure: “I am with you… I will not leave you until I have done what I promised you.”
God begins with presence. Before Jacob builds an altar, before he becomes the father of a nation, before anything changes externally, God promises to walk with him.
We all need to hear that sometimes. Whether we feel strong or uncertain, sure-footed or wandering, the first truth is this: God is with you. God is with us. That’s where growth begins.
- Where do you need to be reminded of God’s presence right now?
- What promises has God spoken into your life or your community that still shape your path?
Growing Together, Not Alone
From there, we move to 1 Corinthians 12:12–14, where Paul reminds us that no one grows alone in Christ. We are many members, but one body. Each of us matters. Each of us belongs.
This isn’t just about teamwork or collaboration. It’s about interdependence. When one part suffers, all suffer. When one part rejoices, all rejoice. The growth of one affects the growth of all.
In a world that celebrates self-sufficiency and individualism, the gospel gently but firmly calls us back to one another.
- What part of the body are you?
- Where might God be inviting you to grow in deeper connection, or to listen more carefully to another part of the body that you’ve overlooked?
Becoming the Answer to Jesus’ Prayer
And then we come to the heart of it in John 17:20–22. As Jesus prays for his followers, not just the disciples then, but all who would come after, he asks one thing:
“That they may all be one… so that the world may believe.”
Unity isn’t just a nice idea. It’s a witness. Our growing together is how the world comes to know the love of God. Not through perfection, but through presence. Not through sameness, but through shared grace. And this unity isn’t something we manufacture. It’s something we grow into, rooted in Christ, fed by grace, and shaped by the Spirit.
- Where do you long for deeper unity—in your family, your church, your wider community?
- What small step might you take this week to become more open to someone different from you in the body of Christ?
Growth is rarely fast. It’s usually messy. It takes time. And it almost always requires others. But God is still speaking the same words now that were spoken to Jacob long ago: “I am with you.”
And Jesus is still praying the same prayer for us now: “That they may all be one.”
So let’s grow,not just beside one another, but with one another. As one body. In love.
Let us pray:
Loving God, you meet us where we are and call us to grow together in grace. You have made us one body – many parts, deeply connected. Help us to honour each other’s gifts, to listen with compassion, and to seek unity not just in word, but in heart When we grow weary, remind us we don’t walk alone. When we drift apart, draw us back by your Spirit. May our life together reflect your love, and may our growth be a witness to your presence in the world. AMEN
