Bible reading for 40.Day 2026 | John 17:21

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, grace and peace to you.

In this 40.Days season of fasting and prayer leading up to our nation’s National Day, we gather not as separate denominations or isolated individuals, but as one body called to embody the unity Christ prayed for in John 17:21, “that they may all be one”.

Unity is not uniformity. It does not mean that we will not have disagreements. Unity does not erase our differences. Unity is a holy harmony that holds our diversity together in Christ. In a multiracial city, the Church is called to model a unity that reflects the Triune God: Three distinct Persons, one divine essence. This is the unity we seek through these 40.Days: Deep, sacrificial and prayerful.

Paul exhorts the church in Ephesians 4:1-3 to: “lead a life worthy of the calling… with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace”. These words are our roadmap to building and safekeeping the unity in the Body of Christ and in Singapore.

During this time of prayer and fasting, I invite you to join me in three simple daily rhythms: Confess, reconcile and serve.

What should we do as we pray and fast?

1. Confess

Unity begins with truth before God. Confess attitudes that divide – pride, prejudice, bitterness or indifference. Honest self-reflection and confession clears the soil of our hearts. As you fast, ask the Holy Spirit to reveal areas where you cling to superiority or resentment. Allow God to cleanse and renew you.

2. Reconcile

Reconciliation is costly and active. It requires us to initiate peace – across denominations, cultures and generations. Reach out in humility. If you have been hurt, speak the truth in love. If you have caused pain, seek forgiveness. Where reconciliation seems impossible, pray persistently. Small acts of grace create ripples of healing.

3. Serve

Unity flourishes when we put others’ needs above our own. In Singapore’s diverse social fabric, serving our neighbours – especially the marginalised – becomes both our worship and witness. During these 40.Days, find one consistent act of service: Visit an elderly neighbour, volunteer at a social service agency or join a church outreach. It does not have to be overtly evangelistic, but start with something to enrich the community around us. Service transforms hearts and unites hands.

I know unity is not easy. History shows us the church’s failures – division, rivalry, even harm – done in God’s name. We do not ignore these wounds. We repent. We ask God for healing. We learn humility. 

Yet we also remember Christ’s promise: The gates of hell shall not prevail against His Church. 

Our unity is both a gift and a calling. We receive it by grace and pursue it with perseverance.

As we draw near to God through these 40.Days, we do not only focus inward, but we also look to how what is in our hearts can overflow into practical acts: An apology sent, a cross-cultural dialogue begun, a shared meal offered, or a public prayer for our leaders. These acts stitch us together.

Let us be known not by the labels that divide, but by the love that reconciles.

Imagine the power of thousands of believers across Singapore fasting and praying with one purpose: For the unity of the Body of Christ and the flourishing of our nation. Let us fast, pray and work towards unity.

I invite you now to join me in a brief prayer:

God of all nations, we confess our divisions and our fears. Pour out Your Spirit of unity upon Your Church in Singapore. Teach us humility, give us courage to seek reconciliation, and lead us to serve our neighbours with Christlike love. Bless our nation with wisdom, justice and peace. Bind us together in the bond of peace that, through the unity of the Church, many may see Christ and glorify You. 

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Peace be with you.

Reflect:

1. What divisive attitudes do we carry?

2.  Who do you need to forgive? Whose forgiveness do you need to seek?

3. What is one consistent act of service you can commit to during these 40.Days? Who in your sphere can you bless?

Pray:

1. That the Lord will reveal wrong attitudes we have about unity, so that we can repent of them.

2. That as we bring all our past hurts and offences before God, He will enlarge our hearts to forgive and reconcile with others.

3. That the Lord will bless our efforts to serve those He has put in our hearts.

Follow Salt&Light on Telegram, Facebook or Instagram for more of LoveSingapore’s daily devotions until August 9, 2026.