Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.

The longer I live the more beautiful and frightening I find John 3. In my opinion, it contains some of the most comforting and the most challenging statements in all of Christianity. When we listen to the teachings that Jesus shares with us, the bar is so high, and yet there is literally no bar. We must give up all, and yet no works are required.

We must abandon our worldly desires, our kinship and birthright, and yet we are saved by grace and born again in the Spirit with living waters. Nicodemus is rebuked for being a teacher of Israel but not understanding, and yet these verses clearly say it is beyond human capacity to understand the Spirit. We hear it, but we neither know its origin nor its destination.

Nicodemus came in the night to find understanding, walking out of the darkness and into the light. But at the very same time, he does not walk in knowing the Spirit. He asks how can that be? I think we all encounter Christ more clearly when we are in darkness. We see more clearly when we seek the light of Jesus not our own illumination. Our path is more clear when led by the light of the Spirit than when we turn on our own light and seek to understand each day.

To find the answer we must ask the question. To follow Jesus, we must assume we are lost. To be guided by the Spirit, we must listen quietly not speak. To live in grace, we must have faith not knowledge. To see the light, we must sit in darkness. To stand tall, we must kneel. To be rich, we must be a servant. To experience the love of God, we must give all to others.

But then, what do I know?

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, we pray that we may we be like Nicodemus and seek you. May our hearts be led by the Spirit. Allow us to be led by your light, not our own artificial light. Each day may we listen to the wind blow and answer Your call, Amen.

This devotional was written by Jill Pope and read by Susan Daves.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

You shall not hate your brother in your heart, but you shall reason with your neighbor, lest you bear sin because of him. You shall not take vengeance or bear any grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD.

When Jesus declared that the second great commandment is to love your neighbor as yourself, many Christians assume he was introducing something new. He was not. Jesus was quoting directly from Leviticus, and he was standing squarely within one of the deepest streams of Jewish teaching.

The great Rabbi Akiva called this verse "a great principle of Torah," meaning it was a key by which many other commandments should be understood. A generation earlier, the famous teacher Hillel told a student who asked him to summarize the entire law. He said, "What is hateful to you, do not do to your fellow. That is the whole Torah; the rest is commentary. Go and learn." These teachings were well established long before Jesus walked the earth.

Of course, knowing what we should do and actually doing it are two different things. The Jewish people did not always live up to this ideal, and neither have Christians. We are all works in progress.

What strikes me about this passage is that love is not presented as a feeling or a sentiment. It is active. Look at how verse 17 connects to verse 18. You shall not hate your brother in your heart, the text says, but you shall reason with your neighbor. The rabbis understood this to mean that silent resentment is a form of hatred. If you truly love someone, you don't let grievances fester. You address them honestly, but gently and privately, with the goal of restoration.

In our Wesleyan tradition, we talk about social holiness. Personal piety is not enough. Our faith must express itself in action toward others. Love your neighbor is not a suggestion or a nice idea. It is a command, and commands require obedience and action. Love, in the biblical sense, is a verb.

Our Father, forgive us for the times when we have let love remain only a word. Help us to act on the love you have commanded, to engage with our neighbors honestly and kindly, and to be doers of your word and not hearers only. Amen.

This devotional was written by Jim Stovall.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

You’ve heard the phrase. Maybe you’ve used it yourself. “It was a real Damascus Road moment” — meaning something stopped you cold, turned you completely around, changed everything.

The expression has become so common that it’s easy to assume we already know the story. But the actual account in Acts is stranger and more unsettling than the phrase suggests.

Saul of Tarsus was not a confused man searching for meaning. He was not someone open to a new perspective. He was on his way to Damascus with legal authority to arrest followers of Jesus — to drag them back to Jerusalem in chains. He was certain he was doing God’s work. He was zealous, educated, and completely, catastrophically wrong.

Then the light. Then the ground. Then the voice.

And here’s where the familiar story gets unfamiliar: Jesus doesn’t ask Saul why he’s persecuting the church. He doesn’t ask why Saul is persecuting his followers, or his people, or his movement.

He says, “Why do you persecute me?”

Me.

Saul hadn’t laid a hand on Jesus. Jesus was risen, ascended, glorified. And yet — every believer dragged from their home, every family torn apart, every person imprisoned for following the Way — Jesus counted it as done to himself. He was so completely identified with his people that an attack on them was an attack on him.

That’s not just a comfort for people facing persecution. It’s a staggering claim about who Jesus is and how close he stays.

It means the lonely person sitting in the back of the church — Jesus is there. The believer nobody checks on — Jesus notices. The one who feels invisible, forgotten, like their suffering doesn’t register anywhere — Jesus says, that registers with me. That happened to me.

Saul asked, “Who are you, Lord?” — the right question, finally, after years of being certain he already knew.

Sometimes, the most important thing a Damascus Road moment does isn’t change our direction. It changes who we think we’re dealing with.

Prayer:

Father, open our eyes to how closely you identify with the people around us. Help us see that how we treat others — especially the forgotten and the struggling — is how we treat you. Amen.

This devotional was written and read by Cliff McCartney

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

Today is Easter Sunday when we celebrate the resurrection of Christ. It is the most important and most joyous day in the Christian calendar, and we are happy that you have joined us today.

The first Easter morning did not start with celebrations of Hallelujah! It began with sadness, followed by fear and confusion. A group of women went to tend to Jesus’ grave, still grieving from the horror of his crucifixion and likely in fear of encountering Roman soldiers at the tomb. On arrival, they found the stone rolled away and an empty tomb…Jesus’ body was gone. If that did not put them into shock, their encounter with an Angel, described as the appearance of lightning and clothes as white as snow must have completely frightened them. Then we hear the Angel speak:

Matthew 28:5-6 (NIV)

"The angel said to the women, 'Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.'"

He (Jesus) has risen, just as He said! Come and see for yourself and then go witness to the disciples. In fear and joy, the women delivered the message.

John 20:19-20 (KJV)

Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord."

Jesus had risen, just as He said! And having appeared to the disciples, they too were charged to go and be a witness.

In 1739, Charles Wesley penned a hymn that has been sung during Easter services for the last 286 years.

Christ the Lord is risen today, Alleluia!

Earth and heaven in chorus say, Alleluia!

Raise your joys and triumphs high, Alleluia!

Sing, ye heavens, and earth reply, Alleluia!

In the last two thousand years since that first Easter, how many times have people encountered the risen Jesus, and having believed gone out to be a witness. I am one of them. On this Easter morning, I join with countless Christians to celebrate the risen Christ, to sing Hallelujah, praises to God. I celebrate the witnesses in my life, my parents and a faith community that led me to a relationship with Christ, accepting Jesus as the Savior who died on a cross for my sins. On this Easter morning and every Easter morning, we celebrate Christ the Lord has risen today.

When we sing our Hallelujahs, we provide a witness to others that Jesus has risen, just as He said. We are Easter people, we witness to the risen Christ who is still with us today. Hallelujah!

This devotion was written and read by Owen Ragland.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

Holy Saturday

Welcome to Grace for All, a daily devotional podcast written and produced by the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. Thank you for joining us today. This is Holy Week, a time when Christians everywhere observe the days leading up to the crucifixion, death, and resurrection of Christ. This week, we present a special set of podcasts that day by day, trace the activities and words of Jesus during this time. Again, thank you for joining us on this journey.

Matthew 27:62-66

The next day, that is, after the day of Preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate and said, “Sir, we remember what that impostor said while he was still alive, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ Therefore command the tomb to be made secure until the third day; Pilate said to them, “You have a guard of soldiers; go, make it as secure as you can.” So they went with the guard and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone.

Holy Saturday, the day between the Crucifixion and the Resurrection, is the day Jesus is in the tomb. Does this “in between” times have anything to tell us? To get at the answer to this question we need to go back to that Saturday and look at what the people who knew Jesus were doing.

The Gospels have different accounts. In Matthew, whose scripture we read, the focus is on the Chief Priest and the Pharisees. They are at Pilate’s house, demanding that a guard be placed at the tomb to prevent the disciples from stealing the body and saying he rose from the dead. In Luke we have the women who had been with him, even at the foot of the cross, preparing spices so they could finish the embalming process once the Sabbath was over. In Mark and John there is silence about this day but later in John we are told that the disciples were in hiding behind locked doors, fearful that the authorities who had put Jesus to death would come for them.

I call all of these “tomb moments.” It is a time of endings and death. A time seemingly void of hope and possibilities. Remember, for these first disciples there was no Easter, just the stark reality that their beloved teacher and friend had been cruelly put to death.

When we pause to reflect, we realize that we all have our tomb moments. These are times of great loss, disappointment and grief. Life, as we know it is no longer a possibility and what is to come is unknown, often unwanted and possibly frightening. This is a time of acute grief.

The first day after a great loss can be almost worse than the day it happened. This day you wake up for the first time knowing a void that will never be filled. Whether that void is due to a death, loss of a job, or the ending of a dream, you know that your life has forever changed and there is no going back.

How do you live during tomb moments? The women highlight one approach in there preparing spices for the embalming. They were focussing on the loss, trying to process it by putting all their mental energy towards funeral preparations. This is a common expression of grief. You know that a new day has dawned but you are not ready to deal with it.

Others, like the male disciples, can be filled with fear about the unknowns ahead. We accept the loss, but it leaves us with a jumble of emotions, from anger at the person we love dying, to fear as to what we are going to do and what our future might look like, to helplessness because it all feels so overwhelming. The Pharisees and Chief Priest give us one more approach, proclaiming that new life is an impossibility. And doing everything in their power to resist moving forward in life.

Yes, we have our tomb moments. We see our actions and feelings mirrored in the lives of those living through these horrific moments. Holy Saturday speaks to such times.

Remember, the friends of Jesus did not have the reassurance of Easter at this moment, but they were not forsaken. Jesus had promised that he would send a comforter. God was with them at this moment.

What did these friends of Jesus do this Saturday? I am guessing what most of us do at these moments. They shared memories of Jesus, They remembered his words, his miracles, his kindness, and his love. In spite of everything, there had to be a few smiles amid the tears and perhaps even a laugh or two. The promised comfort Jesus had promised was at work.

So when we are facing the tomb of death and other loss know God is with us. God is doing all that God can do to comfort us and sustain us often through the love and care of others. We can rest assured that our grief, our fears, and whatever other emotions we are feeling will not last. New life awaits us even if we don’t really want that life at that moment. And often we are surprised as we walk forward in trust that the new life we receive is so much more than we could ever have hoped for. We are often surprised by what life still has to offer us, just as those who waited through this dark day would find.

Let us pray.

Loving God, when we have our own moments looking at the tomb of loss and grief remind us of your comfort. Give us peace, help us to look to the future in hope knowing that in you new life is always possible. AMEN.

This devotion was written by Bill Green and read by Jim Stovall.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

Good Friday

Welcome to Grace for All, a daily devotional podcast written and produced by the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. Thank you for joining us today. This is Holy Week, a time when Christians everywhere observe the days leading up to the crucifixion, death, and resurrection of Christ. This week, we present a special set of podcasts that day by day, trace the activities and words of Jesus during this time. Again, thank you for joining us on this journey.

Luke 23:44-49 (NLT)

By this time it was noon, and darkness fell across the whole land until three o’clock. The light from the sun was gone. And suddenly, the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn down the middle. Then Jesus shouted, “Father, I entrust my spirit into your hands!” And with those words, he breathed his last.”

When the Roman officer overseeing the execution saw what had happened, he worshipped God and said, Surely this man was innocent.’ And when all the crowd that came to see the crucifixion saw what had happened, they went home in deep sorrow. But Jesus’ friends, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching.

Luke gives us a description of what happens as Jesus dies. The darkness. The Temple curtain. And what the people present do, or don’t do. I’m drawn to an often overlooked phrase in verse 49: But Jesus’ friends stood at a distance, watching.

When I first became aware of that sentence, I was offended. Even angry. Really, his friends?? The crowd was up close, the soldier professed his faith. But his friends hung back. Stayed at a distance. At the time, Jesus needed them the most. So disappointing.

But I stayed with this passage. Continued to ponder it. And I came to realize that this is what I do. And I’ll bet you do. And it’s the reason we have what we call Good Friday. We are to spend Good Friday looking at Jesus die on a cross. And reflecting on it. And asking ourselves, what are we seeing, and what does it mean?

So today—Good Friday—I want to tell you what I see as I watch the Son of God die on a cross. Three things.

First, when I stand at a distance and see Jesus die, I see a God who understands my suffering. The oldest, hardest question for a believer is: if God is good, why does he allow the innocent to suffer? The most ancient book in the Bible, the book of Job, wrestles with this question. And doesn’t satisfactorily answer it. Truthfully, there is no completely adequate answer to the question. But when Jesus chooses the cross in obedience to God, he chooses suffering. Here we see a God who has decided to identify with the hardest things we have to face. Think of it: an all powerful God, a holy, righteous God, not only has come to be with us, but has chosen vulnerability, weakness, suffering. I read of a bitter, grieving father whose son had died in a terrible car accident and asked his minister, “Where was God when my son died?” With great compassion the minister said, “The same place he was when his own son died—on the cross.”

Life is not easy, and sooner or later we all are hit with suffering we don’t deserve. I don’t have an answer to why, but when I stand at a distance and watch the Son of God die on a cross, I see a God who chose to identify with me, who chose to understand my suffering.

There is a second thing I see when I stand at a distance. I see a God who understands my failures. By every human standard, Jesus’ earthly life ended in failure. He had early success and popularity, but over time opposition to him mounted. And finally, he was executed as a criminal, between criminals. Executed by a cruel method reserved for the worst of people. Isaiah 53 says, “He was despised and rejected.” So he was.

Have you ever failed at something big? A job? A marriage? Parenting? Something that truly matters? It is consoling to know our Lord experienced rejection in the worst way possible, the heart of his message ignored. He dies with only a handful of folks standing by him.

When my grandson, Jacob, was about 10 years old, I took him to the Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola. It’s a fascinating place and we were having a great time. They have a Top Gun Simulator where a person can climb into the cockpit and experience what it’s like to fly a F-14 fighter jet. Jake, of course, wanted to try it. So he took the pilot’s seat and I sat behind in the copilot’s seat. He guided the controls as we took off, then zoomed over beaches and the Gulf of Mexico toward our destination, an aircraft carrier in the Gulf. The simulation was to end with a landing on the carrier. As we approached that narrow strip of ship bobbing in the water, I could see Jake tense up. When we began to get close I realized one wing was down and we weren’t lined up properly so I said, “Pull up Jake!” I didn’t have the controls, I could only speak into his ear. He managed to gain altitude and we circled back around. This time he was balanced and lined up correctly. But just as he was attempting to set down he got too low. Crash!! A huge X appeared on the screen. We had crashed and burned. Jake looked back at me with tears in his eyes. We climbed out of the simulator, I put my arms around his shoulders, and said, “Good try for the first time. Let’s get some ice cream, and I will be with you for the next time around. “

Sometimes we crash. It means the world to realize that we are not alone when it happens, but the one who loves us eternally pulls us in close and gives us another chance.

One more thing. When I watch Jesus die on a cross I see a God who does for me what I cannot do for myself. There are many things we can do for ourselves, and I believe God expects us to. Then, there are some things we do in partnership with God. Like farming or gardening. God supplies the soil and sun and rain, and we do the planting and tending and harvesting. Church is another example. God provides the grace and the Word, we are to do the hands on stuff. We work with God.

But there are two problems I can never solve: the sin problem and the death problem. The death problem is for later, for Easter. But my sin problem is solved by Good Friday.

When I see Jesus die despite his innocence and sinlessness, I realize that it is for me. There is no way that I, so flawed, so imperfect, could ever stand before a pure, holy, righteous God. Somehow, if I am to be connected with God, it must be by God’s initiative. Even if I could live an exemplary life from now on, there are the sins of my past that make me ineligible for fellowship with him. When Jesus dies on a cross he lays himself down over the chasm between my sinfulness and God’s holiness. When he dies he solves my sin problem. And yours.

So, on this Good Friday I join Jesus’ other friends to stand at a distance and watch. And as I do, I softly begin to sing,

What can wash away my sins, nothing but the blood of Jesus.

What can make me whole again, nothing…but the blood of Jesus.

Prayer:

Dear God, We are not our own, we are yours. On this day set aside for remembering the death of Jesus, we give you our sufferings, we give you our failures, and we give you our sins. In the name of our Savior. Amen.

This devotion was written and read by Herb Sadler.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

Maundy Thursday

Welcome to our special Holy Week Podcast for Maundy Thursday.

The word “maundy” comes from the Latin word mandatum, meaning command. The English word mandate comes to mind. This term Maundy Thursday helps us to recall Jesus’ mandate to remember Him, using the observance of Holy Communion/The Lord’s Supper…

Today’s scripture comes from two segments of Luke Chapter 22.

Luke 22:19-20

“And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.’ In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, ‘This is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.’ ”

In this last supper gathering with his twelve closest disciples, Jesus knew what was coming and he made good use of every moment, and every word said at this meal. He wanted his disciples to understand how important his final instructions were. The disciples may not have known why Jesus said the bread was his body and the cup his blood, but we do.

As events unfolded, they would have remembered the strange words about bread as body and wine as blood. Perhaps their very first recollection of his commanding words filled them later that evening as they were with him in the Garden as he prayed.

We hear this part of the evening from our second scripture selection.

Luke 22:41-44

He withdrew about a stone throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed. ‘Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.’ An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.

Perhaps the disciples heard his anguished prayer and even saw his bloody agonized sweat that stained his robe. As the evening came to its dreadful finale, with his arrest, they all ran away, leaving him alone with no support as the battalion of soldiers took him away.

I can imagine the disciples as they walked the floor or tossed and turned in their beds, sleepless that whole night. Perhaps the mandate from Jesus rang over and over in their ears – “This is my body. This is my blood. Remember me! Remember me!”

We know they did remember and thank God they wrote his stories and his words and their memories of him in the Gospels and letters in the New Testament, so we too can know and remember Him.

In the United Methodist Church when we observe Holy Communion services, we ask the Holy Spirit to be poured on us and on the gifts of bread and grape juice, that the bread and juice be for us the body and blood of Christ, so we, who receive them, may be for the world, the body of Christ redeemed by his blood.

So, friends, let’s lift up this Maundy Thursday prayer to our Lord Jesus to show Him and the world that we do remember and that we hope to LOVE as He loves, to live as He lived, always loving GOD and our neighbor.

Prayer:

Dear Loving Lord Jesus, who died on that cross for all of us – help us to always remember you and to follow your mandate to LOVE one another as you have LOVED us - not only on this Maundy Thursday but every day of our lives. In your Holy Name we pray, Amen.

This devotion was written and read by Bernice Howard.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

Welcome to Grace for All, a daily devotional podcast written and produced by the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. Thank you for joining us today. This is Holy Week, a time when Christians everywhere observe the days leading up to the crucifixion, death, and resurrection of Christ. This week, we present a special set of podcasts that day by day, trace the activities and words of Jesus during this time. Again, thank you for joining us on this journey.

“Crucify him!”

Matthew 26:14-16 (KJV)

"Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests, And said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver. And from that time he sought opportunity to betray him."

“Crucify him!”

Years ago I heard a pastor ask while giving an Easter sermon “who do you most identify with in the resurrection story?” He then listed central characters: Peter, Pontious Pilate, the Pharisees. Afterwards I told him that it seemed to me that Barabbas, who he had not named, was the only choice I could make. He seemed surprised, but to me Barabbas represents all that I do not understand in the mysteries of grace and what I have been given. Barabbas was pardoned so that Jesus could make the most divine, powerful, and loving sacrifice ever made.

“Crucify him!”

In John 3:8 Jesus shares, “The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”

Just the other day, I saw a photo of mist on the water with gorgeous orange and pink hues in the sky. I thought to myself what a beautiful sunset. I wondered where it was. Then I read the caption and saw the location but also learned that it was a sunrise and not a sunset. In a photo, I could not sense east from west. In life, I do not know whether it is the beginning or the end. Who am I to say how or where the Spirit will move? I do not know what will be asked of me or of you.

“Crucify him!”

Jesus cried out on the cross the prayer of David in Psalm 22:1: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” but as we know God did not forsake him. He loved him above all others. Judas sat at the table with Jesus and said “surely you do not mean me, Rabbi?” Immediately after, Jesus shares the new covenant with everyone at the table. It is shared with Judas, and Peter, who denies Jesus three times before the cock crows, and now with all of us. Judas is a beloved child of God, and what a task he was given. Jesus knows and feels all that Judas is going to do, and he says to him in love, “What you are about to do, do quickly." The most infamous betrayer in history shared the cup with Jesus and his sins were forgiven because Jesus was crucified.

Pray with me today:

Abba, may we remember that all are beloved and are forgiven! We know in our heart that you do not forsake us even in our darkest moments, but let us remember it always. Let us also understand in our hearts that we should not cry out “Crucify him!” about any beloved child of God, but forgive us when we do it anyway. Your mysteries are great, and our understanding is small. When I look into the eyes of others and think I see Judas, may your spirit be with me so that I recognize Jesus. Amen.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

Hello, and welcome to Grace for All, a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee! I’m Grace Jonas, the reader and writer of today’s devotional, which I’ve entitled “By What Authority?”. Thank you so much for joining me on this Holy Tuesday! Now, I’d like to invite you to take a moment and pause with me as we meditate on today’s scripture:

Luke 20:1-2

“One day as Jesus was teaching the people in the temple courts and proclaiming the good news, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, together with the elders, came up to him. ‘Tell us by what authority you are doing these things,’ they said. ‘Who gave you this authority?’”

If we expand upon this story further, Jesus counters this questioning by asking those who would question him: “tell me, John’s baptism, was it from Heaven or from human origin?” A question which the elders discussed among themselves, concluding that if they said it was from heaven, they would be asked why they did not believe him.

On the other hand, however, if they answered that it was of human origin, that they would be stoned due to the belief that John was a prophet. So, they answered that they did not know where it was from, and in response, Jesus said “neither will I tell you by what authority that I am doing these things.”

In this day and age, it can feel easy when faced with questions of authority such as “who told you that you could do this?” to resort to the response of being told by a parental figure or otherwise authoritarian figure to do a task. The historian in me would even go as far as to put the assumption out there that some would say that the tasks they are carrying out are pleasing to God, citing him as the one who gave them such authority.

But notice how instead of resorting to responses such as these, Jesus simply questions the men in return, asking them to think about a different angle, almost as if he is posing a riddle of sorts. Instead of caving, he stands strong, and when he is given an answer that they did not know the origins of John’s baptism, he opts that he will not tell them where his authority comes from that is allowing him to teach the good news within the temple. It can be implied and widely believed that his authority comes from none other than the grace of God, or in other words, from heaven, much as John’s baptism is implied to be from heaven.

Throughout this Holy Week, as we meditate on the scripture and the teachings of Jesus during his last week, let us remember that while it may be the authority of God and the heavens that allows us to act, not all may believe us, but we don’t have to justify that, we should simply strive to keep acting in a manner pleasing to God no matter what.

Prayer:

God, when we are faced with authority being put to question, help us to remember that the authority of heaven and your will is what matters and should influence our words and actions when others may doubt and question us. And help us to always remain unwavering in these beliefs. Amen.

This episode was written and read by Grace Jonas.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple courts and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, 16 and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. 17 And as he taught them, he said, “Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations? But you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’

In this scene, an event which is recorded in all four gospels, Jesus calls out injustice toward the poor and marginalized, and toward God. The temple, intended to be a place of reverence and worship, had become a mechanism of oppression. The poorest people, who could afford only the minimal sacrifice, were being taken advantage of the most. They were subject to price gouging, and because they had to exchange their currency for temple-approved coins prior to the sale—often at unfair rates—they were doubly wronged.

The money changers and merchants in the temple courts were participating in a system of social and divine injustice. Jesus, in overturning the tables and clearing out the temple, was protesting that system and its oppression of the vulnerable, under the guise of religious practice. In doing so, Jesus was also restoring the temple to its right purpose, realigning worship with God’s will and removing the barriers that kept people from experiencing God’s presence.

Religion at its best leads humanity closer to God and into personal and social holiness. Religion at its worst has, throughout human history, served as a means for some groups to suppress and disadvantage others, obstructing the relationship between humanity and God.

As we remember Jesus’ journey toward the cross during this Holy Week, and especially as we read of Jesus clearing the temple, I cannot help but think of those places Jesus might enter and clear out in righteous anger and indignation if he were here now. Where might Jesus be calling us today, as His followers, to go, turn over some tables?

Let us pray:

Lord Jesus, forgive us when we, in our human frailty, have turned your house of worship into a den of thieves. Open our eyes to the ways our religious practice might serve to harm the vulnerable or to hinder those who seek you. Call us into those places where tables need overturning, that you might restore all your people into right relationship with you. In Christ’s name we pray, amen.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group

and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery.

In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?”

They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him. But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger.

When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.”

Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.

At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there.

Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”

“No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”

Why did Jesus do what he did? Could he see that an injustice was being done?

Stoning was the penalty for the crime. But, the partner in the adultery was also to be stoned and is not mentioned nor is the witness who is to throw the first stone.

Jesus forgives her of her sins and sends her away with the admonition to sin no more. If she had not been sorry for her sin and repentant, would Jesus have done this?

Interesting questions, but for me the most important lesson to be learned comes from Jesus’ statement, “Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” For years I thought that his words only applied to the scribes and the Pharisees. But, there was one present without sin. Maybe Jesus was saying that if a stone (judgment) was to be thrown, he was the only one permitted to be first.

Aren’t we sinners like the scribes and Pharisees? I fear that we are. Instead, we need to bring God’s love to those who are being unfairly treated, to those who are sick, to those who are hungry. We are qualified to do those things. But we are not qualified to throw the first stone. Only Jesus is.

Prayer

Dear God, help us to bring your love to all those we encounter. While we need to help others understand how you want us to live, never let us judge them. You are the only one qualified to do that.

This devotional was written by Alvin Jenkins and read by Herb Sadler.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

Merriam-Webster.com defines meek as enduring injury with patience, and without resentment. The Bible offers meekness as a virtue that means to be humble, gentle, and submissive to God’s will. It is often associated with patience and putting aside one’s own desires, to follow God.

Jesus was meek while the soldiers arrested him in the garden, where he was only praying.

Jesus was meek while Herod and the soldiers mocked and ridiculed him. He was meek as they spit upon him, stripped him of his clothes, and beat him bloody. He was meek as the soldiers pressed a crown of thorns onto his head and blood ran into his eyes. He was meek as he bowed under the weight of that huge cross, dragging it through the streets and up the hill to Golgotha, the place of the skull. He was meek as they pounded the nails into his hands and feet, nailing him to that cross.

He was meek as the cross was raised. He was quiet and submissive.

He could have called down legions of angels from heaven to destroy those crucifying him. Yet, he hung there, dying humbly, accepting the pain and humiliation of torture and crucifixion.

All throughout his life on earth, Jesus showed restraint. He was gentle, kind, and loving. He was strong in His faith and trust in God His Father/ yet never lorded Himself over anyone. Instead, he constantly lifted others up – teaching by example, healing freely, and loving all he met.

What if we Christians took a page from Jesus’ playbook and made being meek and humble our constant attitude? What if we turn the other cheek when offended? What if we forgive 7x70 times? What if we pray for those with whom we disagree, instead of condemning them? What if we keep the Great Commandment to Love God and Love our Neighbors. What if we all endure injury with patience instead of resentment? What if we start a movement that brings a revolution of peace on earth?!

Now, Peace on the whole earth may take a while – but wouldn’t it be amazing and wonderful to have peace in your own soul, peace in your family, peace in your workplace, in your neighborhood, in your town, as we work toward bringing it to the whole earth?

I recall the words of that wonderful Vince Gill song… “Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me.”

My friends, let’s fix our eyes on Jesus and emulate His meekness. Let’s be bold in LOVE and meekly forgiving in everything else. Let’s start that Peace on Earth today!

Please pray with me…

Dear God, I want to be more like Jesus today. I want to be meek and mild and forgiving toward everyone – just as He is. I want to let go my anger and resentment, forgiving as Jesus did, meekly accepting hardship as a pathway to Peace. Help me, Lord, to grow in LOVE and to spread that LOVE wherever I go. Help me, Lord, to be meek. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.

Today’s podcast was written and read by Bernice Howard.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness.

Years ago, I was giving the children’s message on Sunday morning, and this was our verse. I gave each child a different piece of fruit – a banana, an apple, an orange, a pear, small clusters of grapes, red and white. After getting through the comments “I like oranges, I don’t like pears, my mother cuts my grapes up,” and so on, I asked them why it is important to include fruit in your diet. Again, the expected answers were given: “they have vitamins, they’re good for you, they taste good,” and then one unexpected answer: “they make you sweet.” We did go on and make the connection between fruits of the Spirit and striving to show them in our daily lives – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, and faithfulness.

I hope some of the children really did understand the importance of accepting and exemplifying the fruits of the Spirit, but the more I thought about the answer “they make you sweet,” the more I believe that child was exactly right.

Think about the opposites of these gifts: hatred, unhappiness, anxiety, impatience, meanness, and disloyalty. These are not qualities we seek, nor are they the characteristics of a happy person. I believe God is telling us that through Him we have the capacity and strength to be better people. Without the Spirit giving us the ability to love others, no matter their faults, a Christian is no different from the saddest, meanest, grouchiest person who lives. Who wants to be like that person?

The fruits of the Spirit that Paul lists benefit every one of us. They also benefit everyone who comes in contact with us. The checkout line is long and you’re in a hurry? You can be impatient and grouchy, or you can be kind and encouraging to others in line with you and especially the stressed out clerk. A friend or family member has betrayed your trust or done something to hurt you? You can hold a grudge forever and respond with unkind words or you can forgive and work to repair the relationship, even when that may take a lifetime or never happen at all.

As human beings, it is not easy to be the one who is kind or the one who forgives. Truthfully, most of us cannot do it on our own. We must embrace the Spirit in order to enjoy the fruits for ourselves and to demonstrate Christian joy to others. Through the power of your Spirit, we can.

Let us pray:

Heavenly Father, we are so grateful that through the Power of your Spirit, we can behave in ways that go against our instincts. Love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness and faithfulness are the fruits you give us so that we can live in a different, Christ-like way that is pleasing to you. Amen.

This devotion was written by Pat Scruggs and read by Bernice Howard.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

Then Levi gave a great banquet for him in his house, and there was a large crowd of tax collectors and others reclining at the table with them. The Pharisees and their scribes were complaining to his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” Jesus answered them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician but those who are sick; I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.”

We look down on the Pharisees for assigning people or groups into favored and rejected categories. But don’t we do the same? You might not mean to but we often speak disparaging about the homeless, about a person needing to get a job, about a faith group or nationality or political party. Are these comments not the same thing as what the Pharisees were doing? I know I have caught myself doing this. I don’t intend to demean the other groups. but when I do this, I realize that I am seeing myself as one of the righteous, one blessed by God and not like them.

This causes me to come to an even greater awareness. I have become a sinner whom Jesus is calling to repentance. For Jesus said that we are to love others as he has loved. And we know Jesus did not place limits or labels on people or restrict his love. It is at that moment I realize that Jesus is saying that I am sick,. I need the great physician. Even more Jesus says that there is room at his table for me, not because I deserve it but because he loves me. That challenges me to remember to strive to be welcoming and loving towards all.

Awhile back on Facebook there was the story of the boy, about age five who went to a fast food restaurant with his family. After they had gotten their meal he was looking around a saw a man sitting all by himself. The little boy got down and went over with his meal and sat in the opposite seat to this man. Mom was getting up to bring him back to the table when she saw the man smile and welcome the boy. For the next few minutes they sat together talking as they ate. Soon the little boy came back to his family. When asked why he had done this he said, “No one should eat alone.” The mom admitted to feeling guilty. She had seen the man and ignored him. Her son saw a person in need of love.

When we are feeling lost, alone and hurting, Jesus comes and sits at our table. When we are sitting at the table feeling entitled, Jesus looks at us with sad eyes and gets up and moves to another table, one that needs him and welcomes not just him but all whom he has gathered to his feast. May we learn to have a welcoming heart to all knowing everyone we meet has a place at Jesus’ table.

Prayer:

Loving God, when I start feeling negative towards others stop me. Remind me that you love them and that they are welcomed at your table as much as me. Encourage me to be welcoming and non-judgmental for I know this is what it takes to truly dine with you. AMEN.

This devotion was written by Bill Green and read by Jim Stovall.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

“The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. He will not always chide, neither will he keep his anger forever. He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.”

This verse from Psalms allows me to breathe easier. I certainly have accumulated a long list of actions and thoughts that could provoke God’s anger and retribution. But I know from this verse and many others that this is not how God deals with us. He forgives us over and over again.

Recently I had a conversation with a student whom I had not seen or talked with in over 30 years. Imagine my surprise when he suddenly said “I have never forgiven you for . . .” It turns out that I had reported his use of a tobacco product on campus, a clear violation of school policy, which resulted in disciplinary action; again, school policy. I have no memory of this incident, but I no doubt wrote reports for many students over 25 years in the classroom. I am a rule follower by nature, and if part of my job is to follow school policy, then that is what I will do. It was never personal, but to this student, I had done him a great wrong, and he has never forgiven me! Our conversation ended cordially, and I hope he can let go of that perceived injustice all these years later.

Thank goodness God does not treat us this way. As I said earlier, I am sure I have accumulated a long list of things that God coul d hold against me. Maybe I said or did something without really thinking about it as being unjust or cruel or sinful, but it was something God would not want me to do. And then there are the things I do and say that I know God is not pleased with, but due to my human weakness, I do it anyway. Every night and every morning I can ask for forgiveness and start with a clean slate. My heart can be light rather than burdened with all the wrong in my life. I can praise God for His great mercy and forgiveness. I can be a new person every day as I strive to be more Christ-like in my journey. This Psalm ends with verse 22: “Praise the Lord, all his works, everywhere in his dominion. Praise the Lord, my soul.”

Let us pray,

Father, how can we ever thank you for your infinite forgiveness? Your willingness to let us start anew and try our best not to repeat past sins and wrongdoing? It is beyond our human ability to understand such boundless love and mercy. Yet we thank you and we praise you for these amazing gifts.

Amen.

This devotion is written and read by Pat Scruggs.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

They (compassions) are renewed every morning. Great is your faithfulness.

Last night, I came home from work exhausted. Monday was a “long week,” and Tuesday was even longer. I was out of energy. I cried my laments as I ate a late dinner and had no time to relax. I got to Friday and celebrated the end of another week.

As a culture, we are in love with a sense of accomplishment. We relish marking things off our to-do list. We idolize our own laments. We bask in our productivity and letting everyone else know how hard it has been.

We wish things over, finished, spent, done, complete… I’ve never really thought about it until the moment I started writing this but one way of looking at being a good Christian is that it totally lacks any sense of completion. It’s never over. Our mission will not end. Well, that could be frustrating—and exhausting if you have been raised in a culture that celebrates a cult of accomplishment.

Being Christian is not about what I accomplish. I have created nothing. A better question is “Am I compassionate?” From where is compassion born? Do we produce compassion or is it given to us to share with those around us? If I am compassionate then it is because God has renewed my compassion each day.

I create compassion no more than I produce light in this world. If I have a light to shine then it is because God has gifted me light. Every morning new mercies, compassion, and light are shared with me as a gift.

“Great is Thy Faithfulness”- God has faith in me? God has faith in me! God renews his compassion for me every morning. God believes I can rise every day renewed with passion and compassion to carry out His mission, a never ending mission. Endless compassion given to me.

Each day dawns, and His light shines brightly in me.

It is an illusion that it is dark in this world. Just as the sun never sets, God’s love surrounds us even in the darkest hour. It is easier for you and those around you to see your light when you are in the darkness. The light is always with us, but if we are standing where the light of Christ is all around us, then anything we are saying or doing is part of what is already visibly good.

When we seek the darkness and shine the light of Christ and share compassion with those in the darkness, then we light a path for them. We are torchbearers. And may our light never falter as it is renewed each day with the compassion of our Lord.

Lord, great is Your faithfulness. Let us pray that we can begin each day renewed by Your compassion for us. May we share Your love, compassion, and light with all that we encounter each day. And when we are exhausted at the end of a day, help us to remember that this is a sign that we have done Your work and that You are the source of our renewal, Amen.

This devotional was written by Jill Pope and read by Greta Smith.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

I have swept away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist. Return to me for I have redeemed you.

The word redeem means to atone or make amends for error or evil. The thief on the cross beside Jesus, is a perfect example of redemption. This man by a single act of faith was redeemed for a life of evil.

When we confess our sins and errors, God is faithful and redeems us. And he offers this redemption to ALL who return to him. But there is something often holding us back from that perfect redemption that God offers. That something, is unforgiveness, standing in the way of our redemption.

James 2:13 says, “For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.”

To embrace forgiveness leads us to true redemption and mercy. We can’t hold on to that old grudge against a family member or keep thinking hateful thoughts about that friend who betrayed us or the neighbor who offended us. We must forgive these deep offenses and hurts. We must let them go.

It can be very hard to give mercy for deep wounds, for tragic wrongs, but with God’s help, we can forgive and let go of even the worst hurts. We need God’s help, and we might have to forgive some people over and over again. But with determination and God’s help we can overcome our resentment, anger, and hatred. Forgiving does not mean you forget what happened, though that would be wonderful. Forgiving means letting go of resentment and anger toward the perpetrator. Forgiving means showing mercy, just as God shows mercy to you.

By showing mercy to those who have hurt us, we can return to God’s peace and feel redeemed, wrapped in His LOVE.

I don’t know about you, but I crave that redemption peace!

So, let’s pray now and always…

Dear God, help me to give my burdens to you and to let go of the resentment, hatred, and anger I have been holding, from my past hurts. Help me to overcome negative thoughts and to offer your selfless LOVE to those who have hurt or angered me – even my enemy. By forgiving, I can return to you, accepting your freely offered gift of redemption.

In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Today’s devotional was written and read by Bernice Howard.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

Then people brought little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked them.

Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”

When he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there.

As part of the morning services at our church, there is children's time. It is one of my favorite parts of the service. Usually, it consists of an object lesson and a brief story told to the kids by the pastor. Very seldom does the session end without a reply from one or more of the children that brings joy and, many times, laughter from the adults.

At a recent church Thanksgiving dinner, the pastor highlighted the blessings that he referred to as “dreams come true” throughout the year. Then he invited everyone to share a dream they had for the future of the church by writing it on a sticky note and placing it on one of the large glass windows along the side of the room. The children were included in the invitation. One youngster shared his honest and humorous dream of “playing basketball in Sunday School.” As the saying goes, you can't make this stuff up.

It is encouraging to see young people using their musical talent in various church services. This includes instrumental solos, a youth choir, and a handbell choir. Young people also help with communion, church offerings, candle lighting, and other tasks.

Our scripture relays a story of people being rebuked by the disciples for bringing children to Jesus to be blessed, but Jesus said, "Suffer the little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for such is the Kingdom of Heaven.”

Proverbs 22:6 proclaims “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”

Children face some serious challenges in our world and need our prayers, protection, and encouragement. I’m thankful for opportunities for our youth to serve and worship and for parents and family support systems that share responsibility to “bring up a child in the way he should go.”

Our prayer:

Thank you, Father, for our young people. We pray for wisdom as we share a community of love and protection for children. Amen.

This devotion was written by Stephen Hankal and read by Judy Wilson.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

On the way to Jerusalem Jesus was going through the region between Samaria and Galilee. As he entered a village, 10 lepers approached him. Keeping their distance, they called out saying, “Jesus, Master, Have mercy on us!“ When he saw them, he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.“

And as they went, they were made clean. Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice. He prostrated himself at Jesus his feet and thanked him. And he was a Samaritan.

Then Jesus asked, “Were not 10 made clean? But the other nine, where are they? Was none of them found to return and give praise to God, except this foreigner?” Then he said to him, “Get up and go on your way; your faith has made you well.“

Can you think of the times in your life when your life took a whole new direction? Maybe it was when you graduated from high school or college. Maybe it was when a new person came into your life, such as a spouse, a newborn baby, or simply a new person who became a close friend. Maybe it was when you moved to a new location or took a new job that had you doing something you had never done before.

In this story, we find Jesus traveling with his disciples, and they come upon a group of individuals who are in dire circumstances. They have a disease that, in those times, made them outcasts. But they know who Jesus is, and they have found out what he has done in other places, and for other people. They asked for his help.

In a fashion that is typical of his ministry, Jesus heals them. Jesus gives him a new direction in life, one that they had begged for. They can now return to their normal lives, to their families and friends. This is what they wanted, and they have been truly blessed.

But only one out of the 10 realizes what has just happened to him. Only one, a Samaritan of all people, understands that this wonderful thing was not just a chance occurrence. It was a gift—a gift, directly from Jesus himself. That one person came back to thank Jesus, and to praise God.

There are many times in our lives when we take a new direction. In many cases, the change is exactly what we want, what we have been hoping for, what we have been asking for. Do we, like the other nine lepers, simply recognize our good fortune, and continue on with our lives? Or do we, like the Samaritan, understand that the gift of a new beginning is a gift from God?

Prayer

Our father, in heaven, help us to recognize that the changes that take place in our lives are the gifts of your grace and your love. Help us always to accept him with discerning and thankful hearts. Amen.

This devotion was written by Jim Stovall and read by John Cherry.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

“Then Jesus stretched out his hand, touched him, and said, ‘I do choose. Be made clean.’ Immediately the leprosy left him.”

This encounter with a leper occurs as Jesus is teaching and healing throughout the land. Growing crowds are following him, amazed by the authority of his preaching. Many are hoping for healing from conditions from which they have suffered for years, even their whole lives. Despite the crowds, Jesus recognizes and reaches out to individuals such as this leper. The leper bows his head and begs Jesus for healing. In the preceding verse, the leper says “Lord, if you choose, you can make me clean.” And Jesus does choose – the man is made clean.

In Biblical times, disease was considered to be punishment for sin. The appearance of the leper (skin lesions, rashes, discoloration of skin) made it clear that the person was not fit to enter the Temple or associate with others. Lepers were forced to live on the outskirts of town, forage for their food, and even ring a bell and call out “Unclean!” if another person came near. They lived a life of shame and isolation.

But here is Jesus, acknowledging, responding to, even touching the leper who has begged for healing. The leper’s request is granted; he is made clean. Jesus continues to reach out to us today. Whatever sin separates us from God can be forgiven and we can be made clean, if we only ask. During this Lenten season of self-examination, reflection, and repentance, may we be mindful that Jesus never turns away; the first step to healing and a closer relationship with Him is up to us.

Let us Pray:

Lord Jesus, we come to you in faith, asking to be made clean and healed from our iniquities. Thank you for the gift of your grace and forgiveness, and for always choosing love. In your name we pray, Amen.

Today’s devotional was written by Pat Scruggs and read by Julie George.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

Sing to the Lord for he has done glorious things. Let this be known to all the world.

Many years ago when my kids were young we had the pleasure of welcoming the African children's choir to our church. This choir was founded in 1984 by a man named Ray Barnett who was traveling in wartorn Uganda and gave a small boy a ride to a safer village. During the journey the child began to sing in the midst of all the surrounding chaos.

Out of this was born the choir which focuses on children orphaned mainly by AIDS and war. They are schooled and trained and then tour all over North America. Their performance that day was glorious.Their energy, joy, and enthusiasm were contagious.The congregation rose and danced and sang along.It was an absolute worship experience. So many kinds of voices joined together.

After they finished my young son leaned over and whispered to me, “I wish I could dance and sing like that without being embarrassed.” Don't we all. We practiced singing to the Lord and letting the world know of his glory that day.

Would you pray with me?

Lord, help us to see the glorious things you have done in your world around us each and every day and not be embarrassed to tell others that they may also see your goodness. Amen.

This devotion was written and recorded by Leslie Ragland.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

Here, the word of the Lord, you rulers of Sodom! Listen to the teaching of our God, you people of Gomorrah!

Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your doings from before my eyes; cease to do evil, learn to do good; Seek justice, rescue the oppressed, defend the orphan, plead for the widow.

Come, now, let us argue it out, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they should be like snow; though they are red like crimson, they should become like wool.

If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good things of the land; but if you refuse and rebel, you shall be devoured by the sword; for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.

During the four decades, during which I was a college professor, I heard all of the excuses. Students could not come to class, could not complete their assignments, could not do the things that they were supposed to do and that I knew that they could do all because of… well, you could fill in the blank.

Numerous times, I asked the students, no matter what their failings, to stop offering me excuses. The excuses did me no good, and they were certainly not doing the students any good. And yet, the excuses continued no matter how much I asked them to stop.

In truth, however, I am no better than many of my students. I am an expert at making excuses for myself. There is always a reason why I can’t do as I should. I have a whole list: That’s the way I am. That’s the way my parents raised me. I don’t have it in me. I don’t know how.

In this passage of scripture, God, speaking through the prophet Isaiah, is clear and refreshingly direct. If anything, he sounds a little like an exasperated teacher. No more excuses. Wash yourselves and make yourselves clean. Remove the evil things from your life. Do the right thing.

If there is something that we need to talk about, God says, then let’s talk. Let’s argue it out. It is a direct challenge to all of our excuses. If I get into an argument with God, I’m pretty sure I know who’s going to win that one.

And then God offers us a promise, a promise of forgiveness. If we will do the things that he asks, our sins will be washed away. What thing on earth can we want more than to have our sins forgiven, to be in the presence of the God who loves us, and to know his spirit and his grace more fully? What excuse can we offer for rejecting that?

Prayer

Our Father, Help us to accept the commandment to put aside our excuses so that you can forgive our sins and that we can experience your love and grace. Amen.

This devotion was written by Jim Stovall and read by Amy Large.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. 3 And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.

As I write this, a good three weeks into January, I am thinking about the Christmas decorations in my neighborhood that have not been taken down, their lights still burning each night. It’s well past epiphany. So the other night I was walking my dog, and contemplating the number of people who left their lights up longer than usual this year. I find it curious, but I don’t blame them, and I certainly don’t mind. In fact, I said a silent prayer of gratitude. Because I still need a little Christmas. Still long to welcome the baby Jesus. Still yearn to see love come down, heaven touch earth, and light pierce darkness.

When I consider this scripture passage from the gospel of Matthew, I can’t help but think about how God came to us as a little child. The people expected a king, a powerful ruler who would liberate by force. Instead, Jesus arrived on the scene as a newborn, wrapped in rags, sleeping in a feed trough–humble, vulnerable, a lowly child who was, in fact, the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. To understand what Christ means when he teaches his disciples that we will never enter the kingdom of heaven unless we change and become like little children, we need to look no further than his origin story.

As you hear this, I expect that the Christmas lights in my neighborhood—and yours—have finally come down. But perhaps you and I both still need a little Christmas, still long to see heaven come down, and touch earth. In this passage from Matthew, Jesus gives us clear instructions on how to usher in the kingdom. And it is not to fight and force our way to greatness. No, in fact it is not to become great at all. It is to become lowly.

It is not to exalt an earthly king. It is to welcome a little child.

Let us pray:

Lord Jesus, we know your kingdom is not of this world, and yet too often we think we might find you by running after earthly things. Humble us, that we might have the eyes, the minds and the hearts of children. May we look for you in the least among us and in welcoming them, may we welcome your kingdom, on earth as it is in heaven. Amen.

This devotion was written and read by Greta Smith.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

Don’t fear, because I am with you;

don’t be afraid, for I am your God.

I will strengthen you,

I will surely help you;

I will hold you with my righteous strong hand.

I recall a story I heard a pastor tell. His granddaughter and another girl got into a lively game of comparison. One would say what they could do and then the other would come back with something even better. Finally his granddaughter said, “I can walk fifty-nine miles.” The other girl said, “You can’t!” His granddaughter then said, I can take my grandpa’s hand and keep up with him and he can walk fifty-nine miles so I can walk fifty-nine miles if I hold his hand.”

The pastor went on to say, “Though my granddaughter might be wrong as to how far I can walk, she is not completely wrong, for when she holds my hand she can do things which otherwise she could not do.”

That story has stayed with me for many years and it, along with Isaiah 41:10’s promises have been a source of strength and hope when times are difficult. In Isaiah we are reminded that God is with us, strengthening us and helping us. Then the great promise, “God is holding us with God’s righteous strong hand”, or I would say, “Wen I place my hand in God’s strong hand I will not be afraid. “ Many has been the time when I am in difficult times that I have thought, “How am I going to manage?” I fear and wonder, “Can I do it? Am I strong enough?” Then I pause and reach out mentally seeking for that righteous strong hand and my fears subside for I know God is with me. With God I can do so much more than I believed possible because I am holding on tight to that powerful hand.

As an example: I was asked to teach at a conference. Never before had I been in front of so large a group. There were many sitting there with as much and likely more knowledge on the subject than I had. I was afraid of looking foolish. I considered not doing it but I knew that I would let a lot of people down. So I studied and worried. The night before the event was to start I lay awake far into the night filled with dread concerning the day to come. Then I remembered this verse telling me not to fear for God was with me. A peace came over me. I recalled the study I had done, the passion I felt for the topic, and the realization that God was with me. I went to sleep and slept soundly and the next day I gave my presentation calmly and with joy. I did more than I thought I could do because I was holding onto God’s righteous hand.

So are you facing a difficult choice? Are you facing an uncertain tomorrow because of your health or the health of a loved one? Are there situations that weigh on your heart? Remember, you are not in this alone. Reach out and take ahold of God’s righteous hand and do not fear. You will find that you can do much more than you thought possible and that you can face these situations with love and grace.

Let us pray:

Loving God, when we are filled with doubt or fear remind us that you are there, holding us and helping us. May we always place our ives in your hands and find love and peace, AMEN.

This devotional was written by Bill Green and read by Donn King.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would. When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost.

This story of Jesus feeding the five thousand appears in various forms in other Gospels.

A children’s book tells this story. A young boy has heard that Jesus is coming near and he wants to go see and hear him. However, neither the boy’s father or mother can take him. Along comes an uncle who is going and agrees to take the boy with him.

The boy’s mother will not let him leave without packing him a lunch, five loaves and two fish.

Off they go, and when the disciples go through the crowd looking for food, the boy gladly gives them all that he has. When the five loaves and two fish are placed in Jesus’ hands and blessed, they become more than enough to feed all those present.

For us the lesson is simple. Like the little boy, if we freely give what we have to Jesus, then it will be more than enough to feed everyone. There are those of us that have the food and are willing to give it but need help in getting it to those that need it. There are some of us that don’t have the food but can be the hands and feet of Jesus to get it where the needs to be.

Prayer:

Ever present and loving God, help me share your love by freely giving and doing the things that please you.

This devotional was written by Alvin Jenkins and read by Bernice Howard.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me.

A pivotal figure in the book of Psalms is King David. Each of the Psalms shows a different aspect of the life of King David and his unwavering faith in his Lord, which is what I find perhaps the most impressive about David as a character.

What I find even more impressive about David is how far back this faith traces: to his battle with Goliath, in which it seemed the odds were stacked against him, armed only with a slingshot and several stones, while his adversary towered over him and wielded a sword. However, despite these terrifying odds, David stood strong in the face of adversity, placing his trust in the Lord, and was able to slay the giant.

David is a testament to the Lord being his strength and shield, as the Lord helped him through what should have otherwise been an impossible battle. However, due to his unwavering faith and trust, he was able to stand strong in the faith of adversity and have God as his strength and shield. In modern times, it is easy to feel that our battles are impossible or likened to Goliaths, however, we should all strive to be like David and let the lord be our strength and shield, for as long as we place our trust in him, he will help and protect us always.

Let us pray:

Dear God, help us always remember that while we may face some harsh battles, like David, that you are with us. May we place our faith in you so you may be our strength and shield now and always. Amen.

This devotion was written and recorded by Grace Jonas.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

Lifting up his eyes then and seeing that a multitude was coming to him, Jesus said to Philip, “How are we to buy bread so that these people may eat?“

Philip answered him, “Two hundred denarii would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little.“

One of the disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him,

“There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two fish; but what are they among so many?“

This is the famous story of Jesus and his disciples feeding the 5,000, the crowd that had gathered around Jesus. It appears in all four of the gospels, but in the verses we just read, we don’t hear the end of the story. We should pay attention to the way in which this story develops.

The problem is enormous. Five thousand people need to be fed. Jesus asked Philip what he should do, and Philip, typical of the disciples and typical of many of us, simply describes the problem. A half a year’s wages would not feed all of these people adequately.

Another disciple, Andrew, brings to Jesus, a small boy who has only five loaves and two fish, and Andrew is quick to point out how little this is compared to the problem that they face.

We face enormous problems. Wars and cruelties surround us. Climate change is upon us. Our political and social systems are wracked with division. Even the church has problems that seem insurmountable. And we have so little to offer. Our resources are totally inadequate, and, as shown here, there are always people who are willing to point that out.

We fear that we cannot solve these problems, and the temptation for us is to give up.

It is certainly true that in facing many of our problems, both personal and social, we lack to resources to solve them or even to make much difference. But then we remember what happened in this particular story. Jesus took the bread and the fish that the little boy had brought and blessed it. And after that, in a short amount of time, everyone in that multitude was fed and satisfied, and there was food leftover.

In facing the problems that we have today, what if we simply presented the small resources that we have or did the inadequate things that we could do, and then we asked Jesus to bless those things. What do you think might happen?

Would you pray with me? Our Father, we do not need to be reminded that our resources and efforts are totally inadequate to solve many of the problems that we face. We do need to be reminded of your power and your grace and the way it works in all situations. Help us to rely not on the resources that we have but on the abilities and resources of your spirit. Amen.

This devotion was written and read by Jim Stovall.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

Isaiah 40:31

. . . but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

When I was in elementary school, I loved to read biographies written for young readers. The one that had the biggest impact on me was on Glenn Cunningham, the great middle distance runner. In one part of the book, he was traveling and standing with his suitcase at his side. A man approached him to ask about his luggage tag. He wondered if the “P-h-i-l. 4:13” on the tag was his time for a mile race in Philadelphia. Glenn replied no. It was for Philippians 4:13. That had became by favorite Bible verse. Since then I have read that his favorite verse was Isaiah 40:31, but I expect that Phil.4:13 wasn’t far behind.

What made these verses special was not that Glenn was probably the best miler of his time but how he got there. As an 8-year-old he and his 13-year-old brother were in a fire at school. His brother died. Glenn was expected to die. He didn’t, but the burns on the lower part of his body were so bad that the doctor wanted to amputate his legs. They didn’t, but he was told that he would never walk again.

He not only walked but ran in both the 1932 and 1936 Summer Olympics.

Prayer

Ever present God, help me to remember that you are always by my side and that I can do all things that you ask of me because you supply the strength needed. Amen.

This devotional was written by Alvin Jenkins and read by John Cherry.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

"Praise the LORD. Sing to the LORD a new song, his praise in the assembly of his faithful people."

Have you ever been in a group of people who are all in the same place for the same reason and felt the energy of the room gathering together? For me, it’s like you’ve taken a bunch of lightning bugs and scooped them up in a jar. It’s vibrant - much brighter than they would be on their own. You can still see each one of the creatures doing their own thing and shining individually, but the energy has become something of its own. Brilliant!

My friend said she had heard it called the “collective effervescence”, and I’ve never gotten that out of my head.

At a concert, it’s later in the show when the first few notes of a favorite song comes on, and there’s an audible cheer from thousands of voices across an arena. At a potluck, it’s when only a handful of people remember to bring something, but you always end up with enough. In choir, it’s when nervous altos with only a few solid notes blend in with the larger group to create beautiful harmonies that reverberate through the hallways into one song.

We all have our preferences and our specialties. Individually, we can do many great things, but I believe the praise and new song that we’re asked to “sing” here can only happen when we assemble. It’s the creation of our collective effervescence at that instance in time. Because the group changes and what we bring changes, every time we gather and put our energy into praising the Lord together it’s a new song.

Prayer

Thank you for connecting us with others in all sorts of ways. Help us find moments to come together and create new songs with what we have to give in those moments. Let the collective effervescence flow through us to you and back out into the world.

This devotion was written and read by Heather Davis.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

and

Psalms 133:1 (KJV)

Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!

We hear the word unity in many labels, slogans, admonitions, and challenges.

In simple arithmetic, we know that 1+1=2 and 2+2=4, but when God’s people come together, a new way to add comes to our attention. Each person comes into a group with their individual talents and skills. When two or three or more unite, the group can do things that go beyond the sum of the individual skills. It can be called teamwork.

I remember the 1980 United States Olympic hockey team. As a united group they won a game with the Russians that all experts and prognosticators said that could not happen. But it did because they were united and worked together and found skills that went beyond the sum of their individual skills.

I also remember a few years back when a member of our church was in kidney failure and a candidate for kidney donation was needed. A few members of First United Methodist went into a room and engaged in a group silent prayer asking for help to finding a matching donor. The next morning a matching donor came forward. That person was an active member in our congregation. Today, both of these people are doing well. Thanks be to God. I believe that our united group prayer session helped that process.

The lesson is simple as we can read in Longfellow’s Hiawatha:

All your strength is in your union all your danger in discord; therefore, be at peace henceforward, and as brothers live together.

Let us pray:

God, please be in our midst and give us the wisdom and strength to gracefully unite in all that you will have us do. Amen.

This devotion was written by Ed Cherry and read by Jim Stovall.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

As the sunset, the Twelve said, “Dismiss the crowd so they can go to the farms or villages around here and get a room for the night and a bite to eat. We’re out in the middle of nowhere.”

“You feed them,” Jesus said. They said, “We couldn't scrape up more than five loaves of bread and a couple of fish—unless, of course, you want us to go to town ourselves and buy food for everybody.” (There were more than five thousand people in the crowd.)

As a child I remember being utterly astounded at how 5,000 people could be fed that day in Galilee, with twelve baskets of crumbs left over! Jesus, in the blessing and feeding of his crowd of listeners, nourished not only their physical bodies but also fed their souls with his teaching that day.

The listeners certainly must have gone from the place refreshed and renewed, filled with blessings beyond the meal of bread and fish. As you move through this time of Lent, consider your sources of nourishment, those things that sustain and deepen your faith. How can you offer these strengths to bless and nourish the people you come in contact with during Lent and beyond? Prepare to be astounded at what can happen.

Let us pray:

Loving God, refresh our faith and expand our opportunities to nourish others. Fill us to overflowing with the miracle of your presence. AMEN.

Today’s devotional was written by Jenny Green and read by Amy Large.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

Matthew 25:31-46 (NIV)

“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’

“They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’

“He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’

“Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

There are many poor wanderers, homeless people, and strangers in our land today. Regarding them, we must follow Jesus’ command from this parable. We must not reject them or turn a blind eye. We must open our hearts and our purses. We must feed the hungry, provide clean water for their thirst, invite them in, and offer them clothes. We must tend the sick and the well, visit the prisoners.

If we are not generous to these in need, God will send us away. But if we are found to have helped the least of these, we will earn eternal life!

In our churches, in our communities, in our country, there are so many opportunities to help; to be the hands and feet of Jesus.

If we reject and neglect these strangers in need, we reject and neglect Christ.

Please pray with me.

Dear Lord Jesus, help me to constantly look for the opportunities before me, to see your face in the face of the wanderer, the stranger, the alien, the homeless. Help me to follow your commands to take care of the least of these. In your name we pray. Amen.

Today’s devotional was written and read by Bernice Howard.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

Jesus is making a specific point in this passage about our enemies, or those who oppose us or who seem to be the opposite of what we are. We should love those people and do so extravagantly. We have heard this many times.

I think there is another lesson in these verses that we may miss if we focus solely on enemies. During nearly forty years of my adult career, I was privileged to be a college teacher, and I loved the work that I did. I truly enjoyed delving into the topic that I was assigned to teach, and I always tried – sometimes more successfully than others – to generate some enthusiasm for those topics and to convey that enthusiasm to my students. It was sometimes hard work, and it often required many daytime, nighttime, and weekend hours. But I enjoyed it and felt like that’s what was required if I wanted to give my students a good experience in my classes.

Along the way, I learned something that all teachers know. It is a secret of the profession, but I will let you in on it. When you teach, you inevitably learn more than your students.

I was always trying to give my students something. But I always found that the rewards of knowledge and understanding were greater than what I could convey to them.

Yes, you should love your enemies – and your friends. You should love without expecting anything from them. You should give your whole self to other people without holding back. Then, according to Christ, your reward will be great and you will be the children of God.

Prayer:

Our Father, show us ways that we can give ourselves to others without expecting anything in return from them. Show us how to love extravagantly and generously. Amen.

This devotion was written by Jim Stovall.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

“I give you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, so you also must love each other. This is how everyone will know that you are my disciples, when you love each other.”

In a world divided by politics, denominations, and doctrinal disagreements, we often look for ways to distinguish who’s “in” and who’s “out.” Is it the way we baptize? The name on the church sign? The theological statements we affirm? But Jesus cut through all of that with a single, unmistakable command: “Love each other.”

That’s it. That’s the identifying mark of a follower of Jesus.

In the early days of the church, when Christians faced persecution, believers had to find ways to identify each other discreetly. One such method was the ichthys, the simple fish symbol. When meeting someone new, a Christian might draw one arc in the dust. If the other person completed the fish, they knew they were in safe company. It was a quiet symbol of shared belief. But while the fish marked one another in secret, Jesus said love would be the visible sign to the world.

Tertullian, a second-century Christian writer, famously described how the pagans of Rome viewed the early believers: “See how they love one another!” That’s what stood out. Not their theological precision. Not their rituals. Not even their preaching. It was their love, a love that reached across social classes, that embraced the sick and the outcast, that gave generously and forgave deeply.

Imagine if that were still the first thing people noticed about Christians today.

Too often, we let lesser things divide us. We argue over who’s doing church the right way. We draw lines over politics or preferences. And in doing so, we sometimes lose sight of the very thing Jesus told us would reveal Him to the world.

The fish might have helped early Christians identify one another, but love is how the world is supposed to identify us.

Love isn’t optional. It’s the command. And not just any love, but the kind Jesus showed: sacrificial, patient, persistent. Love that gets its hands dirty. Love that holds space for differences. Love that serves, listens, and forgives.

If we want the world to know Jesus, then we must start by living out this one identifying mark He gave us.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, you didn’t say the world would know us by our buildings or beliefs, but by our love. Teach us to love as you loved: boldly, humbly, and without condition. Let our lives reflect the grace we’ve received. May those who meet us say, “See how they love.” Amen.

Today’s devotional was written and read by Donn King.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

No one should seek their own good, but the good of others.

Proverbs 19:17

Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed.

Several years ago, I was heading up a USAID project in Southern Africa and I found myself in Mozambique at an agricultural experiment station. The grant I had contained little room for unplanned expenses. But with that grant, we trained more than 15,000 farmers in Lesotho, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe and greatly improved corn yields for those farmers.

But on this day, I needed to go to another location. I found a minibus going that way, and I paid the equivalent of about $5, and got in. Occupancy should have been twelve, but I counted more than 20 people. It took us 5 hours to go about 130 miles.

I got the seat on the hump next to the driver and had to put my arm around him so I could breathe. The bus was hot, everyone was sweaty, and the smell of the disinfectant used to clean wounds was thick. Many on the bus had bandages on extremities and eyes. But everyone had a smile.

The driver said that just about all the passengers were going to a hospital for surgery or follow-ups, Many made the trip weekly. The road was awful. The potholes were huge and could be more than 4 feet deep. We hit one and had to sit on the edge of the pothole and to wait for the water to evaporate so the engine would start. The temperature climbed past 100..

I was hungry. My breakfast had been gone for hours. In my backpack I had two packets of cookies.. I got a package out, opened it, and then handed them back to the seat behind me. I did the same with the other package. I had just given away all of my food and had kept nothing for me.

Soon there was a tap on my shoulder and a small bag of potato chips to share, some salty crackers followed, and some homemade food and there were always smiles and thank you’s given. Then one of my cookie packets came back with one cookie left in it. The lady behind me took it out and handed it to me. And then the other one came back with one left, and it was handed to me. The kindness brought tears to my eyes.

I have so much to learn. And that day I learned the lesson Mom and Dad tried to teach me. If you put others first, good things will happen.

Prayer:

Dear Lord, help us to remember that practicing generosity is what you expect of all who walk with you. Amen.

This devotion was written by Neal Esh and read by Jim Stovall.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinance of their God: they ask of me the ordinances of justice; they take delight in approaching to God. (Isaiah 58:2)

Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high. (Isaiah 58:4)

Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh? (Isaiah 58:7)

In 2022, along with others, I followed a program to read the entire Bible. When we read this selection from Isaiah, some editions subtitled it “False and True Worship.” The jest of the passage is that true worship is a lot more than attending a gathering to sing a few songs, follow a ritual, say a prayer and say the right words. It is also how we think and act and what we say outside those gatherings.

Does this mean that when we serve or deliver food to others that these can be times and acts of worship? Does this mean that if by our circumstances we cannot do any of these activities personally but support them, that this can be an act of worship?

If yes, does it affect the way we approach and go about these activities?

I think that the answer is yes. These can be more than “feel good” activities. If done in a way that is an expression of reverence to God, they are part of true worship. Approached as a part of worship they not only feed the body, but feed the soul, ours and theirs.

Prayer

Ever present and loving God, forgive us when we fail to honor and reverence you. Help us share what you have given us in a way that pleases you. Amen

This devotional was written by Alvin Jenkins and read by Owen Ragland.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”

“What should we do then?” the crowd asked.

John answered, "Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same."

(Luke 3:9-11)

I volunteer at a local non-profit called Good Neighbors. We provide emergency assistance for rent, rent deposits, utilities and utility deposits. I have had many memorable experiences while working there but one day there was what I could call a "first."

A woman came in inquiring about the "Coats for the Cold" program sponsored by the Knox Area Rescue Ministries. It’s a program where donated coats are handed out free to those who need them. She was looking for a coat for her mother who recently moved in with her. We had no more vouchers available for the coats, so I gave her a list of several places where vouchers could be found.

I returned to my desk to complete some paperwork when I overheard this conversation from the reception area. Another of our neighbors, someone who was seeking utility assistance, stood up, removed her own coat, and said, "Could she wear this one? It's clean and I want her to have it."

The first lady responded, "I can't take your coat!" but the other one answered, "I have another one at home, and you need it." The first woman was shocked but took the coat and left thanking her over and over.

I was stunned for a moment, but went to her and said, "Thank you for that amazing act of love." As she started down the hall to speak with a coach about her own needs, she answered. "We've all been there, and her mother needed a coat."

She did get help for payment of her utility bill and thanked me as she left. I again thanked her. Yes, I donate frequently, but inside I was in turmoil as I had a coat hanging on the hook in the hall and offering mine had never even entered my thinking. A moment of grace had happened right in front of my eyes, but I somehow felt I had missed an opportunity.

Prayer

Dear God, open our eyes so that we can see the need of the moment and respond in love. Amen.

This devotion was written and read by Susan Daves.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

25 On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

26 “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”

27 He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”

28 “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”

29 But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

Who is my neighbor?

This is as difficult a question today as it was in Jesus’ time on earth. It is a question that begs for limits. Is it my next-door neighbor? Is it my brother-in-law? Is it the homeless person I drive by at highway entrances?

I have a story. Back in the 1980s we lived in Cedar Rapids, Indiana and were members of St. Paul’s United Methodist Church. St. Paul’s is a historic church. Its building was designed by Louis Sullivan, a brilliant architect and mentor to Frank Lloyd Wright. St Paul’s was for many years the flagship Methodist church in the state of Iowa. But that is not the story.

At St. Paul’s, I was a member of a church committee dedicated to outreach. The neighborhood around the church was changing and many of our members had moved to the suburbs. We decided we needed to establish an event titled “Who is My Neighbor?” We wanted to identify and celebrate people in our city who had been good neighbors to others. We found that our first good neighbor was a member of our church.

In 1961, Dr. Percy Harris was a renowned physician in Cedar Rapids and the only Black member of St. Paul’s UMC. He and his family wanted to build a home on a lot in a residential community owned by the church. The problem was that Dr. Harris was a Black man. Even though he was Linn County Medical Examiner and County Clinic Director at St. Luke’s Methodist Hospital, his desire to build a home in a white neighborhood was controversial. The church members had to vote on whether to approve the sale. The vote was 460 yes and 291 no, and some members left the church afterwards. But the property was sold to Dr. Harris and his wife Lileah, and he built a home for his family and lived there for many years.

In 1981, the first “Who is My Neighbor” award was presented to Dr. Percy Harris, and the award was named “The Percy and Lileah Harris Award ” in honor of their leadership and lifelong roles in bringing the community together.

44 years later, the “Who is My neighbor” Award continues to be presented at St. Paul’s. When Jesus was asked “Who is my neighbor?” he told the story of the good Samaritan, a stranger on the margins of society who stopped to help another stranger in need. This year’s award was presented to Mike and Toni Loyal, a same sex couple who serve as leaders in arts and education in the Cedar Rapids community. The plaque they received states, “In recognition of your commitment to live in harmony with others and promote equality and social justice in the community.” St. Paul’s UMC has raised up many in the community who reach out to expand the meaning of neighbor and to heal divisions and bring people together.

Please pray with me:

Dear Lord, be with us as we seek to be neighbors to those whom we are tempted to pass by, or overlook in our everyday lives. Give us the courage and strength to stop and connect with new and unexpected neighbors. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

Today’s podcast was written by Laura Derr and read by Greta Smith.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.”

So many sermons and commentaries focus on how small and insignificant a mustard seed appears, but there is something else to be noticed. More attention should be given to the act of planting it in the field and what it takes to become the largest of garden plants.

A seed is about potential- a catalyst. Seeds, despite their size, have always held great value because they will feed us in the future. But if we hoard them in hopes of amassing wealth, they are wasted and lose their ability to germinate.

Not all seeds will grow into a thriving plant. It is not a given that we will become a thriving part of God’s vision. If each of us is a mustard seed, we have the opportunity to grow and thrive, to shelter and care for, bringing the kingdom of heaven to those we shelter and care for.

If God’s kingdom is like a mustard seed then it has the potential to grow and be used. We are also given the opportunity to sow seeds, to nurture growth in the lives of those around us, helping to grow a tree that shelters the next generation.

But first the seed must be planted and nurtured. Not left on a shelf. Not hoarded like gold.

And like all things in nature, plants have their season of growth and then wither. The seed perishes in the process of creating the plant. The plant that produces more seeds for the next season expends its life to create many more seeds. Once our own seed has been nurtured into maturity, we have a responsibility to nurture others’ seeds and growth. We have a responsibility in the present because we create the seeds of the next generation.

What we do in the present is what happens in the future. If we hesitate to act, waiting to grow and assuming someone else will sow the seeds, then we will not bring the kingdom of God near.

With all seeds, it is not about the humble seed which starts the process but what the plant becomes and produces that makes the world what it is. It is not where we start our journey, not even when we start, but where we end and what we have produced along the way that fulfills the mission of Jesus.

Please join me in prayer today.

Lord, may we grow in your mission to provide a present and future worthy of your vision. We are as small and humble as the mustard seed, but with your help and nurturing love, may we grow and thrive so that we may share all you have given us with those around us. May we spread your love in this world until the next generation grows to fill our place in this mission, Amen.

This devotional was written by Jill Pope and read by Greta Smith.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

"Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland."

We live in a world where every day we are bombarded with sounds and images of new things. Often, they are images of violence and destruction. It is easy to forget that some things in our world are eternally new and beautiful: the changing of the seasons, a baby’s laugh, voices lifted up in harmony. It is also easy to forget that God’s message to human beings is new every day.

Recently, our congregation heard the story of Sam Dzobo, a Zimbabwe native and Assistant District Superintendent in the Holston Conference of the United Methodist Church. Rev. Dzobo is a graduate of Duke Divinity School and Asbury Seminary.

But Dzobo’s encounter with “a new thing” began when he was 13 years old in a village in Zimbabwe. While running an errand for his father on Sunday morning, he happened to hear singing in the schoolhouse. He told us, “The woman who was leading the worship invited me in … and that whole congregation started singing.” The song they sang in the Shona language is translated in English as, ‘Now that you have come, it is good.’” * Dzobo’s heart was overcome with what he called “a rush of welcome and love.” His life was changed that day.

As part of the Holston Conference, Dzobo has served numerous small congregations in East Tennessee, including Mary’s Chapel in Bean Station, a congregation of about 35 people. When Dzobo shared his dream of building a church in his hometown in Zimbabwe, the congregation raised over $48,000 in six years and the dream is now a reality.

When he was invited into a worship service in a school building as a 13-year-old, a new thing transformed Sam Dzobo’s life. He said, “’It just turned my whole world around.”

Prayer:

Dear Lord, help us to see what new thing is waiting for us each day, and to respond with joy. Amen.

This devotional was written by Laura Derr and read by John Cherry.

All quotations are taken from Holson Conference article in The Call, “Pastor from Zimbabwe Prays for His Nation, Church,” December 11, 2017, by Annette Spence.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

The Christian faith comes down to the great commandment. If you distill it, the essence of Christian living is to love God and love your neighbor with equal regard to yourself. The two most famous and best-loved stories Jesus told were the Prodigal Son—about our relationship with God—and the Good Samaritan—about our relationships with other people.

It is recorded in the 10th chapter of Luke's gospel, and it happened like this. There was a group of people and an expert in religious law asked Jesus a question: “Teacher, what do I need to do to have eternal life?”

And Jesus said, “Well, you know the scripture. What do you think?”

And the man replied by quoting Deuteronomy 6:5, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and soul and mind and strength.” And then he added Leviticus 19:18, “...and love your neighbor as you love yourself.”

Jesus said, “That's it. You got it.”

Then the lawyer asked the second question. He said, “Well, who is my neighbor?”

Great question. In other words, who is it I am supposed to love? And in answer to that question, Jesus told a story.

A man was traveling on a trip from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he was attacked by bandits. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him up, and left him half dead beside the road. Now, let me stop here. I know this road. I have traveled this road a dozen times or more. Jerusalem sits at a high altitude, approximately 2,500 feet above sea level. Jericho, just 17 miles away, is adjacent to the Dead Sea, 1,300 feet below sea level—the lowest point on the surface of the Earth. In other words, in those 17 miles, you lose three-quarters of a mile of altitude. So, it's all downhill. And once you clear Jerusalem, there's nothing. There are rocks and hills and wadis and maybe the occasional ragged Bedouin tent with a couple of goats, and that's it. Nothing. And the ancient road ran parallel to the modern road, and people knew that it was a favorite hideout spot for bandits.

And so this happened. They stripped him, beat him, and left him half dead beside the road. Now, by chance, a priest came along. But when he saw the man lying there, he crossed to the other side of the road and passed him by. A temple assistant walked over and looked at him lying there, but he also passed by on the other side.

Then a Samaritan came along, and when he saw the man, he felt compassion for him. Going over to him, the Samaritan soothed his wounds with olive oil and wine, bandaged them, put the man on his own donkey, and took him to an inn where he took care of him. The next day he handed the innkeeper two silver coins telling him, “Take care of the man. If the bill runs higher than this, the next time I'm here, I'll pay you.”

“Now, which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by bandits?” Jesus asked.

The man replied, “The one who showed him mercy.”

And Jesus said, “Yes, now you go and do the same.”

In this story, there are three groups of people, and every character in the story represents a group of folks, as we shall see.

The First Group: Those Who Are Hurt

There are all kinds of ways of being hurt. Physically, emotionally, spiritually, relationally, financially—all kinds of ways of being hurt. So, who fits in this category? Who are those who hurt? Well, sometimes it's you, and it's me. We've already heard it in the joys and concerns period. I have a son dying with cancer, and it hurts. Some of you have lost a spouse; the Bones have lost a child. You got somebody you love who has Alzheimer's. You're estranged from somebody you love. Every one of us sooner or later hurts. And even when we don't, the people around us do.

For many years, I had the same routine when I was working. I would get up about 5:30 in the morning. Barbara is an early riser, but not that early. So, I would slip away, drive down to the local Waffle House, go in, turn right, last booth, sit there. All the waitresses knew me. I knew all of them. I knew their stories. They would bring me a cup of coffee and a glass of water and leave me alone until I needed another cup of coffee. And I would read the newspaper, and I would meditate, and I would work on a sermon a little bit. I spent an hour or so, six days a week, early morning.

On Saturdays, though, I would come in later, 9:00 or 9:30. So this had to be on a Saturday. The parking lot was full, the restaurant was full, somebody was in my booth. So I just stood there at the high counter waiting for a stool, and the guy finished his breakfast, and I sat down. The person who came over to serve me was a haggard-looking young woman. I didn't know her. I knew all the waitresses. So, they had imported this girl, I guess, because it was so crowded. There was a soccer tournament or something like that.

So, she says, “What you want?”

I said, “Coffee. A cup of coffee.”

“What you want to eat?”

I said, “I don't care for anything to eat. Just a cup of coffee.”

Well, I could see it in her brain. There goes my tip. What she didn't know was I always tipped as though I had eaten.

So, she's gone a little bit and then she comes back and she slides a glass of their coffee over and it sloshes a little bit and she turns to go and I say, “Excuse me, but may I have a glass of water?”

Well, this really steams her. And I'm steamed by now. I mean, there's this adversarial thing going on and we can both feel it. So, she brings a water and she puts it down and I don't know what motivated me to say what I did. It certainly was not what I felt, but what I said was, “Today's a tough day, isn't it?”

Tears sprang to her eyes. She paused. Then she said, “My husband left me last night. I shouldn't care. He's mean. He's mean to me. He's mean to the kids. I should just say good riddance. It's just... I don't know what I'm going to do about them kids.”

In that moment, the surly waitress became a hurting neighbor. Sometimes we can see it, sometimes we can't see it. And there are groups who, because they are groups of people, by the very fact that they belong to that group, they hurt. They're ostracized or they're demonized or they're put down just because of their religion or their race or their ethnicity or their gender. Who hurts? Everybody from time to time.

The Second Group: Those Who Hurt Others

But there's a second group in this story. There are those who hurt, and then there are those who hurt others. The robbers, of course—they hid, they waited, they pounced, they beat, they robbed, they fled. They did this on purpose. Now, we're part of the people who hurt, but we do not want to be part of this group. This is not us. This is not how we're made. This is not what we believe. We're not a part of that group.

Those who cause hurt—other than avarice, what motivates them to do something like this? I think I know. You see, if you "horrible-ize" someone or some group, then you have dehumanized them. And if you can dehumanize them, then they're less than you. And if they're less than you, then you can do things you wouldn't do otherwise.

Barbara and I, like a lot of you, have things on our refrigerator door. We use that door not just to keep cold stuff inside, but for messages and reminders. We have pictures of our grandkids. We have a couple of little plaques with sayings on them. And we have a list. It's not a grocery list. It's not a to-do list. It's a list of words.

Several years ago, then-Pastor Katherine Nance preached a sermon where she talked about words that are disappearing from use in the English language in the second half of the 20th century, and accelerating in the first quarter of the 21st century. These words—every single one of them, there are about 30 of them on this list—these words are all virtues. Now, what's troubling most of all is not that the words themselves are disappearing, but the less we use these words, the less we employ the virtues they reference. So the virtues themselves are less frequently practiced.

Here are some of them: Kindness. Sincerity. Mercy. Humility. Grace. Courtesy. Modesty. Fidelity. Gentleness. Purity. Wisdom.

And these words in usage and practice are being replaced by their opposites. And as the public discourse becomes more coarse, it becomes easier to "horrible-ize" those we disagree with and thus dehumanize them. And thus we can be cruder and crueler than we otherwise would. It scares me to think that I could become one who intentionally causes hurt.

But it's not just the robbers who are responsible for hurt. Jesus says a priest came down that road and the priest saw the hurt, distanced himself from it, and moved on. And a temple assistant, a Levite—this is like a lay leader, somebody very active in the church—saw the hurt, inspected it, and moved on. It is very significant that Jesus uses religious figures for people who did not inflict the hurt but allowed it.

This is Black History Month. And to help me get inside the black experience in ways I can't experience, among the things I've done is to reread Martin Luther King's "Letter from Birmingham Jail." In early April of 1963, King brought his nonviolent protest movement to Birmingham, considered at the time the most segregated city in America. He sought to meet with community leaders to talk about reforms; he didn't get anywhere with that. So he began scheduled protests, sit-ins, that kind of thing. And on the 12th of April, he was arrested.

That same day, there appeared in the Birmingham...]]>Welcome to a special bonus episode of the Grace for All podcast. With this episode, we are stepping out of our normal format to bring you this 25-minute reflection by Herb Sadler. In it Herb takes us deeply into one of Jesus' most famous stories: the Parable of the Good Samaritan. We hope you enjoy this episode.

The Christian faith comes down to the great commandment. If you distill it, the essence of Christian living is to love God and love your neighbor with equal regard to yourself. The two most famous and best-loved stories Jesus told were the Prodigal Son—about our relationship with God—and the Good Samaritan—about our relationships with other people.

It is recorded in the 10th chapter of Luke's gospel, and it happened like this. There was a group of people and an expert in religious law asked Jesus a question: “Teacher, what do I need to do to have eternal life?”

And Jesus said, “Well, you know the scripture. What do you think?”

And the man replied by quoting Deuteronomy 6:5, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and soul and mind and strength.” And then he added Leviticus 19:18, “...and love your neighbor as you love yourself.”

Jesus said, “That's it. You got it.”

Then the lawyer asked the second question. He said, “Well, who is my neighbor?”

Great question. In other words, who is it I am supposed to love? And in answer to that question, Jesus told a story.

A man was traveling on a trip from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he was attacked by bandits. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him up, and left him half dead beside the road. Now, let me stop here. I know this road. I have traveled this road a dozen times or more. Jerusalem sits at a high altitude, approximately 2,500 feet above sea level. Jericho, just 17 miles away, is adjacent to the Dead Sea, 1,300 feet below sea level—the lowest point on the surface of the Earth. In other words, in those 17 miles, you lose three-quarters of a mile of altitude. So, it's all downhill. And once you clear Jerusalem, there's nothing. There are rocks and hills and wadis and maybe the occasional ragged Bedouin tent with a couple of goats, and that's it. Nothing. And the ancient road ran parallel to the modern road, and people knew that it was a favorite hideout spot for bandits.

And so this happened. They stripped him, beat him, and left him half dead beside the road. Now, by chance, a priest came along. But when he saw the man lying there, he crossed to the other side of the road and passed him by. A temple assistant walked over and looked at him lying there, but he also passed by on the other side.

Then a Samaritan came along, and when he saw the man, he felt compassion for him. Going over to him, the Samaritan soothed his wounds with olive oil and wine, bandaged them, put the man on his own donkey, and took him to an inn where he took care of him. The next day he handed the innkeeper two silver coins telling him, “Take care of the man. If the bill runs higher than this, the next time I'm here, I'll pay you.”

“Now, which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by bandits?” Jesus asked.

The man replied, “The one who showed him mercy.”

And Jesus said, “Yes, now you go and do the same.”

In this story, there are three groups of people, and every character in the story represents a group of folks, as we shall see.

The First Group: Those Who Are Hurt

There are all kinds of ways of being hurt. Physically, emotionally, spiritually, relationally, financially—all kinds of ways of being hurt. So, who fits in this category? Who are those who hurt? Well, sometimes it's you, and it's me. We've already heard it in the joys and concerns period. I have a son dying with cancer, and it hurts. Some of you have lost a spouse; the Bones have lost a child. You got somebody you love who has Alzheimer's. You're estranged from somebody you love. Every one of us sooner or later hurts. And even when we don't, the people around us do.

For many years, I had the same routine when I was working. I would get up about 5:30 in the morning. Barbara is an early riser, but not that early. So, I would slip away, drive down to the local Waffle House, go in, turn right, last booth, sit there. All the waitresses knew me. I knew all of them. I knew their stories. They would bring me a cup of coffee and a glass of water and leave me alone until I needed another cup of coffee. And I would read the newspaper, and I would meditate, and I would work on a sermon a little bit. I spent an hour or so, six days a week, early morning.

On Saturdays, though, I would come in later, 9:00 or 9:30. So this had to be on a Saturday. The parking lot was full, the restaurant was full, somebody was in my booth. So I just stood there at the high counter waiting for a stool, and the guy finished his breakfast, and I sat down. The person who came over to serve me was a haggard-looking young woman. I didn't know her. I knew all the waitresses. So, they had imported this girl, I guess, because it was so crowded. There was a soccer tournament or something like that.

So, she says, “What you want?”

I said, “Coffee. A cup of coffee.”

“What you want to eat?”

I said, “I don't care for anything to eat. Just a cup of coffee.”

Well, I could see it in her brain. There goes my tip. What she didn't know was I always tipped as though I had eaten.

So, she's gone a little bit and then she comes back and she slides a glass of their coffee over and it sloshes a little bit and she turns to go and I say, “Excuse me, but may I have a glass of water?”

Well, this really steams her. And I'm steamed by now. I mean, there's this adversarial thing going on and we can both feel it. So, she brings a water and she puts it down and I don't know what motivated me to say what I did. It certainly was not what I felt, but what I said was, “Today's a tough day, isn't it?”

Tears sprang to her eyes. She paused. Then she said, “My husband left me last night. I shouldn't care. He's mean. He's mean to me. He's mean to the kids. I should just say good riddance. It's just... I don't know what I'm going to do about them kids.”

In that moment, the surly waitress became a hurting neighbor. Sometimes we can see it, sometimes we can't see it. And there are groups who, because they are groups of people, by the very fact that they belong to that group, they hurt. They're ostracized or they're demonized or they're put down just because of their religion or their race or their ethnicity or their gender. Who hurts? Everybody from time to time.

The Second Group: Those Who Hurt Others

But there's a second group in this story. There are those who hurt, and then there are those who hurt others. The robbers, of course—they hid, they waited, they pounced, they beat, they robbed, they fled. They did this on purpose. Now, we're part of the people who hurt, but we do not want to be part of this group. This is not us. This is not how we're made. This is not what we believe. We're not a part of that group.

Those who cause hurt—other than avarice, what motivates them to do something like this? I think I know. You see, if you "horrible-ize" someone or some group, then you have dehumanized them. And if you can dehumanize them, then they're less than you. And if they're less than you, then you can do things you wouldn't do otherwise.

Barbara and I, like a lot of you, have things on our refrigerator door. We use that door not just to keep cold stuff inside, but for messages and reminders. We have pictures of our grandkids. We have a couple of little plaques with sayings on them. And we have a list. It's not a grocery list. It's not a to-do list. It's a list of words.

Several years ago, then-Pastor Katherine Nance preached a sermon where she talked about words that are disappearing from use in the English language in the second half of the 20th century, and accelerating in the first quarter of the 21st century. These words—every single one of them, there are about 30 of them on this list—these words are all virtues. Now, what's troubling most of all is not that the words themselves are disappearing, but the less we use these words, the less we employ the virtues they reference. So the virtues themselves are less frequently practiced.

Here are some of them: Kindness. Sincerity. Mercy. Humility. Grace. Courtesy. Modesty. Fidelity. Gentleness. Purity. Wisdom.

And these words in usage and practice are being replaced by their opposites. And as the public discourse becomes more coarse, it becomes easier to "horrible-ize" those we disagree with and thus dehumanize them. And thus we can be cruder and crueler than we otherwise would. It scares me to think that I could become one who intentionally causes hurt.

But it's not just the robbers who are responsible for hurt. Jesus says a priest came down that road and the priest saw the hurt, distanced himself from it, and moved on. And a temple assistant, a Levite—this is like a lay leader, somebody very active in the church—saw the hurt, inspected it, and moved on. It is very significant that Jesus uses religious figures for people who did not inflict the hurt but allowed it.

This is Black History Month. And to help me get inside the black experience in ways I can't experience, among the things I've done is to reread Martin Luther King's "Letter from Birmingham Jail." In early April of 1963, King brought his nonviolent protest movement to Birmingham, considered at the time the most segregated city in America. He sought to meet with community leaders to talk about reforms; he didn't get anywhere with that. So he began scheduled protests, sit-ins, that kind of thing. And on the 12th of April, he was arrested.

That same day, there appeared in the Birmingham News an editorial. It was actually a letter to King and those who worked with him from eight clergymen. It was entitled "A Call to Unity," but it was in fact a call to step down, citing things like "outside agitators," and saying "you're creating unrest in the community," and "it's not the right time"—those kinds of things.

Now who were these eight clergymen who sent this message to King? They were the two Methodist bishops in Alabama. Now, let me pause to say I knew these guys. Nolan Harmon, the bishop of North Alabama, would later teach me the Book of Discipline at Emory University. Paul Harden, the bishop of South Alabama and Northwest Florida, was my bishop when I was a college student, a junior, and serving six little country churches in South Alabama. Paul Harden had previously been the pastor of First Methodist Church in downtown Birmingham. Two Methodist bishops. The two Episcopal bishops in Alabama. That's four. The Catholic bishop of Alabama. The moderator of the Synod of Alabama of the Presbyterian Church. That's six. The pastor of the First Baptist Church of Birmingham. And finally, the rabbi of Temple Emanu-El of Birmingham. Without question, the eight most prominent Christian leaders in the state of Alabama.

Somebody smuggled the newspaper into King's cell and he took a pen and began to write in the margins. He got other scraps of paper and he continued to write and finally he had a notepad, and he penned what is a religious and devotional classic: "Letter from Birmingham Jail." It does a variety of things, including explaining the use of nonviolence as a proactive tool in erasing injustice. But for our purposes this morning, I want to read just a little bit of it that has to do with passing by on the other side.

"I must confess that over the last few years I've been gravely disappointed with the white moderate who paternalistically feels that he can set the timeline for another man's freedom. Shallow understanding from people of goodwill is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will."

And then he talks about white churches:

"I have watched white churches stand on the sideline and merely mouth pious irrelevancies and sanctimonious trivialities."

I think it was Burke who said, "All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men and women to do nothing." So there are those who hurt, and sometimes it's us. And there are those who cause hurt, and sometimes it has been us.

The Third Group: Those Who Help

But there's the third group. There are those who help. Jesus said a Samaritan came down the road. Don't fail to recognize: He makes an immigrant the hero. Samaria was the adjacent region, and the Jews looked down on the Samaritans, considered them inferior. They were inferior religiously. They were inferior socially. They were inferior racially. They were inferior politically.

The Samaritan of all the characters had the least to gain and the most to lose. And he was not well-equipped to solve the problem. He wasn't a doctor, but he did what he could to bind the man's wounds. He had no ambulance, but he put the man on his donkey, took him to the closest thing to a hospital, paid for his care, stayed as long as he could, and said to the innkeeper, “I'll come back and do more to help.”

So Jesus finishes his story and he says to the lawyer, “Now, who was neighbor to the man who was beaten?”

The lawyer can't even bring himself to use the word Samaritan, he says, “The one who showed him mercy.”

And Jesus said, “Yeah, that's what you ought to go and do.”

And here's what I want you to notice about this. When Jesus asks, "Who is my neighbor?" and he answers the question with a story, he is saying: Who is it you and I are to love?

The answer doesn't have anything to do with what we feel, with who we care about, with who we have an affinity with, who our friends are. Neighbors are who hurts and that we can help.

So we have to ask the question: With all the hurt out there, we can't solve all of that. So where do we help?

I can only tell you—and the story doesn't address this—I can only tell you my answer to that. For me, where my interests and my abilities intersect a specific human need... there is where I find, in the words of Jesus, is the cross to take up. So let me say that again. My gifts, my passion, specific human need. There I find the place of service. And that's true collectively. That's true for us as a class. What we have to bring and what we care about and what need exists that matches our abilities and our heart. That's our mission. That's our ministry. That's where we help. That's who we love.

Prayer:

I want to close with a prayer and then I want to invite us into some conversation. And the prayer is from the 13th century. It is from my hero, Francis of Assisi. Let's pray.

Lord, make me and us an instrument of your peace.Where there is hatred, let us sow love.Where there is injury, pardon.Where there is doubt, faith.Where there is despair, hope.Where there is darkness, light.Where there is sadness, joy.Divine Master, grant that we may not so much seek to be consoled as to console,to be understood as to understand,to be loved as to love.For it is in giving that we receive,it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

Amen.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), “I thirst.” A jar full of sour wine stood there, so they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a hyssop branch and held it to his mouth. When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

When Jesus said, in verse 30, it is finished, every Jewish person who heard him would have immediately understood their significance. Every year, on the Jewish holiday known as the Day of Atonement, the Jewish High Priest sacrificed an animal to atone for the sins of the nation of Israel, as prescribed in the law of Moses. The sins of the nation were symbolically placed on the animal, and its blood served as payment for those sins. Immediately after the sacrifice was made, the Priest would come out of the temple and announce, "It is finished." The sins of the nation were covered for another year.

When Jesus used that same phrase - it is finished - he signaled that the need for animal sacrifice was over. In his death, he took the sins of the world on himself and paid for them with his own blood.

The “it” in the sixth utterance of Christ on the cross - it is finished - refers to the whole reason he came to earth in the first place. He came to take the sin of the world on His shoulders and offer Himself as a sacrifice to His Father for it. He came to pay for my sins and yours. He came to give us a new beginning.

That "it" is the reason we all sit here today reconciled to God with the hope that we will live with Him, starting today and for eternity.

Let’s all remember that as Jesus uttered his last words, He was thinking about you and about me, and how he had just accomplished His mission—the "it" of making all of us God’s children again.

God, we thank you that you made a way. We thank you that although we live in rebellion, you love us and want a relationship with us. We are thankful that Jesus finished his mission and because of that, we can once again and forever call you Father. Amen.

This devotion was written by Cliff McCartney and read by Judy Wilson.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you.

A very wealthy man publicized that he was willing to pay a substantial price to the artist who could best illustrate the presence of peace. Several artists submitted pictures depicting sunsets, lazy rivers, and serene landscapes, but none of those were what he was looking for. One day he came across two paintings: one was a quiet mountain lake as still as glass and reflecting the bright blue sky and the mountains. Sitting next to it was a painting of the same lake, but choppy waves, dark clouds, rain, and lightning.

The people who were following this exercise watched as the man examined the paintings, thinking that of those two paintings, surely he would choose the one with the still lake and mountains. They were shocked as he chose the second picture - the one depicting the stormy lake.

The crowd looked to man, understandably confused. He explained his choice: The first painting was peaceful, but it didn’t describe where peace came from. Peace is easy to see in a crystal-clear lake with white clouds drifting across the sky.

Then he pointed out something in the second painting. There was a waterfall, and tucked into a crevice of the mountain near it was a small nest on which a mother bird sat on her eggs.

The man said, “This second painting is a picture of true, perfect peace because it is within the storms of life we find real peace in God, knowing His presence will guard and protect us even in the midst of this world’s storms.”

Peace is not the absence of strife or despair or hope. It is not the absence of anything. It is the presence of God. The word for peace used in our scripture today - eirēnē - is the same word used in Galatians chapter 5 in which the fruits of the spirit are listed: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. It is the same word used in Paul's letter to the Philippians in which he says that the peace of God "which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

Strong's Concordance beautifully defines eirēnē as, "the tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and content with its earthly lot, of whatsoever sort that is."

When Jesus said he was leaving his peace with us he was speaking of an active component of a life lived under the influence of the Holy Spirit; a peace that is unlike what passes for peace in our world today. It is not the absence of conflict, but the presence of Jehovah Shalom - the "God who brings peace."

We all can have that peace. We just have to ask—and receive.

Prayer:

Father, thank you for your peace. Thank you for always being with us. Give us the strength to share your peace with all those we meet. Amen.

This devotional was written and read by Cliff McCartney.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

See, the former things have come to pass, and new things I now declare; before they spring forth, I tell you of them. Sing to the Lord a new song, his praise from the ends of the earth!

Isaiah 42:1-9 is often referred to as the first of the Servant Songs. Early in the history of the Christian church these songs became associated with the life, ministry and death of Jesus. God, through the Prophet Isaiah is proclaiming new things will happen. And new things require a new song, sung not just by some, but by all the earth!

In Luke, the story of Jesus’ birth, the new thing that God declared would happen, is filled with music. We have Mary’s song, called the Magnificat, Zechariah’s song, the Angel’s singing “Glory to God in the highest!” on the night of his birth and in the temple Simeon breaks into song at seeing the infant Jesus. It seems as if all the world is singing as God does a new thing.

What a great reminder to all of us. When new and amazing things happen in our lives we should not take them for granted but instead pause and sing out our praise.

When the news is joyous, like the birth of a baby, praise comes easily to hand. But sometimes the new things come with loss and heartache and pain. Are we still to sing a new song to the Lord?

We know the answer, it is yes. If not for what we are experiencing, at least for the knowledge that God is with us and we are not going though this time alone. And that song may go out and touch people in ways we do not expect.

So God is always doing a new thing in our lives. Sometimes what is new causes us great joy and at times what is new is also pain filled. Even then we are comforted that God is with us. Our God is the God of creation. Our God is continually doing a new thing. We are encouraged to sing praises to God for his love and faithfulness.

Where has God done a new thing in your life? Did you pause to sing out your praise? It isn’t too late to do it now. Where is God doing a new thing right now in your life? Are you singing your praises?

Let us pray:

Loving God. We take comfort that you are with us in all the newness of life. May we always celebrate your loving presence by singing a song of praise and may it echo to the ends of the earth. Amen.

This devotion was written by Bill Green and read by Amy Large.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.

This verse is part of a Psalm that is a direct conversation with God. It moves from the emotions of dismay, despair and wailing to dancing, joy and praise. The Psalmist moves from the realm of death to renewed life and hope in the Lord.

We all have moments in our lives that cause us dismay and despair. These moments stop us in our tracks and can change the course of our lives. They test our resilience and faith.

Bishop Michael Curry, who is the first African American Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, described such an event in his memoir, Love is the Way.

In 1986, Curry was serving as Rector of St. James Episcopal Church in Baltimore. He found himself in a once prosperous church, the church where Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall had been baptized. But the neighborhood had changed, As Curry said, “In West Baltimore, high society had long ago ceded the area to the merely ‘high.’” Crack cocaine had taken over the streets. Curry encouraged the church to reach out into the community and reclaim the lives of children and the poor. He believed “the church is the only society that exists primarily for those who are not its members.” He and other ministers went out into the streets and preached. St. James established programs for children and youth. The church was making a difference.

But one night lightning from a thunderstorm struck the church tower and the entire roof caught fire. Curry feared that “Another good, lasting part of the neighborhood seemed to be disappearing before our eyes.” The fire chief told Curry the only way to save the building was to break the largest stained-glass window to allow oxygen in. Curry gave permission and the firemen saved the building but lost the window and the roof. It felt like God was giving up on this neighborhood. It felt like a time of weeping and loss.

A reporter at the scene asked Curry if the church would rebuild in the suburbs. But Curry looked around and saw a young neighborhood boy who was in St. James’ confirmation class. And he said aloud, “We are not leaving. We will rebuild right here.”

And over the next two years the congregation did just that, meeting in a plain parish hall in folding chairs. It was a time of joy and renewal. Bishop Curry said, it “might have been the best years we had at St. James.”

What seemed like a disaster actually brought renewal. By the time Bishop Curry moved on, the congregation had grown from 250 to 400.

Let us pray: Dear God, help us see the hope in times of loss. Help us experience renewal when all we can see is destruction in our lives. We know that you are with us and will show us how to reclaim and renew our lives for your purposes. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

This devotional was written by Laura Derr and read by Ryan Smith.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

He also said, “With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable will we use for it? It is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth; yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes the greatest of all shrubs, and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.”

A tiny seed growing to great stature! That is what we can all be! Through our actions we can be the wind that gusts upon the calm waters of the pond, stirring up a ripple effect for Christian good in our community.

The editorial notations in my Bible indicate that the book of Mark is one of action! Forty two times the Greek word for hurry up is used across Mark. This gospel is imploring us to hurry up! Make a difference for Jesus!

So let’s follow Mark’s example and let’s hurry up and grow our own faith. Let’s hurry up and get out there in the world and make a difference modeling the love that God has for us.

There are so many things that can grow as the mustard seed does. This podcast originated as an idea, a discussion among three Christians that I know of, and they hurried up and got busy!

In my own experience at the food pantry, local middle schoolers hurried up and collected bags and bags of canned goods that were donated. Well, all those cans upon arrival at the pantry had to be organized into flats and moved onto the shelves. We hurried up and got busy!

For some reason those students were focused on peas! With their own creativity, I am told that they created a “leaning tower of Peasahhh”! They hurried up and got busy, and we had plenty of peas on flats, on shelves to share with those in need, to share God’s love, as those students and their teachers did!

Let us pray:

Heavenly Father, give us the energy and conviction to hurry up as Mark urges us to model our lives after Jesus! Amen.

This devotion was written and read by Sam Barto.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many!

Adam

Jesus Christ

Dust and breathe to dust

The Word incarnate, eternal

Sin

Grace

Broken

Unbreakable

Selfish sin

Grace-filled sacrifice and forgiveness

Take and take and take

Freely given in boundless measure

The gift given through Jesus Christ is so fundamentally different from any sin committed by Adam or any other person that there is no comparison to be made. No strength I have, no love I share, no forgiveness I offer, no sin I commit, no anger I feel compares with God’s act of love, sacrifice, and forgiveness.

Nothing I do—absolutely nothing—good or bad will ever be greater than the love and forgiveness shared through the gift of Jesus Christ.

Friend, if you take one thing today, let it be the grace of God. Take it humbly. Take it with thanksgiving. Take it to share with all you encounter today and become one in the body of Christ.

Let us pray:

Merciful God, whose immeasurable grace always exceeds our greatest trespass, may we receive your gift of grace with joy, that it may, indeed, overflow to many. Amen.

Today’s devotional was written by Jill Pope, and read by Greta Smith.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

When he came to the village of Nazareth, his boyhood home, he went as usual to the synagogue on the Sabbath and stood up to read the Scriptures. The scroll of Isaiah the prophet was handed to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where this was written:

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free, and that the time of the Lord’s favor has come.” He rolled up the scroll, handed it back to the attendant, and sat down. All eyes in the synagogue looked at him intently. Then he began to speak to them. “The scripture you’ve just heard has been fulfilled this very day!”

It long has been recognized that the more clearly an organization understands its mission and the more nearly it operates by that mission, the more effective it is. This is true of corporations, non-profits, athletic teams, and other organized groups, including churches. So the fundamental question for any group to ask is: what is our mission?

It likewise is true that individuals who discover a personal mission and build vision and behavior around it likely live highly productive and rewarding lives. Therefore, all of us would do well to ask ourselves: what is my mission in life?

As Jesus began his ministry he announced his mission when he preached his very first sermon in his home synagogue in Nazareth. It’s worth noting that this came after he had: 1) Been baptized, and in effect, commissioned; 2) Spent 40 days of preparation and discernment in the Judean wilderness. The mission statement of Jesus, which we read a moment ago, is followed by his declaration, “The scripture you’ve just heard has been fulfilled this very day.” In other words, Jesus was saying of the Isaiah prophecy, “This is me. This is what I came to do. This is my Mission!”

Those of us who have pledged our allegiance to Jesus as Lord and Savior, who have committed to follow in his steps, should see that his mission must become our own, and we are called to the very people he identified in his inaugural public message. Notice again, who these people are:

1. The poor
2. The captives
3. The blind
4. The oppressed

It is easy to forget that our Lord saw his mission to the marginalized of society. And Christians, when we understand Jesus, know these are the very people we are to be lifting up. It was his mission. And it’s ours.

Prayer:

Dear God, Forgive us when we limit Jesus to what he means to us and what he has done for us. Remind us again that belonging to him means that he sends us out to where there is brokenness and darkness. Help us to make his work our work, and his people our people. Amen.

Today’s devotional was written and read by Herb Sadler.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. (John 13:34)

To love others seems so easy. A statement we hang on our walls or draw into notebooks surrounded with red hearts. However, when God calls us to love, he doesn’t always mean easy love. Love that comes natural to others who look, talk, act and love like us. That’s simple love. That’s not commandment love. That’s not love that even needs to be taught.

God is constantly reminding us that he loves every single one of us. The one’s of us that don’t look like us. The one’s that don’t worship or rejoice or mourn like us. That don’t read the same books to their children or live in the same type of homes or spend their money like we do. The one’s whose families make up an entire rainbow. This type of love can be hard work! It calls me and you to love everyone we meet like family. Like they are part of ourselves.

It calls us to put down my expectations that I am right and recognize that we are called to something larger.

Prayer:

Lord, I pray that all who hear this message will feel pulled to real love–love for a stranger, love for themselves, and love for You. May You teach each of us to love just like You do, without question or hesitation. Amen.

Today’s devotional was written and read by Wendy Wand.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.

It seems that the troubles and woes of the whole world are piling up higher and higher, right outside our own front doors! The news is filled with wars and rumors of wars, death and destruction, cruelty and starvation! We are bombarded with bad news stories, rumors and speculation. I don’t know about you, but I sometimes worry for the whole world and I often feel helpless against the onslaught.

I think today’s scripture is particularly important, as we live under the heavy burdens of too much information and so much bad, sad news.

Most of us desperately want to help, to do something about the pain of the world, to help alleviate the suffering. And my fellow Christians, we can help! Each day we can wake up and put on the Armor of God!

First, strap on your Belt of Truth, and your Breastplate of Righteousness. Tie on your Sandals of Peace and put on your Helmet of Salvation. Now, holding your shield of Faith, strap on your Sword of the Spirit. Ready for your battle, you now Seal it all with Prayer, which activates your armor, and you are ready for whatever comes your way!

Step into your day alert and praying for others – all others – especially your enemies! Pray for LOVE to win and backup your prayer by moving through your day in the Fruit of the Spirit, with Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Gentleness, Faithfulness, and Self; confident that God is in control.

Will you pray with me?

Dear Loving God, help us to be your faithful servants, wearing Your Armor and sealing our hearts with trust in You. Help us to remember what you said in Ephesians 6:12 – “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.”

And Dear Lord, lead us in the way we should go. Help us to contribute to good in the world and to stand wearing your Armor as a beacon of Hope for the world. In Jesus Name we Pray. Amen.

This devotional was written and read by Bernice Howard.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

Yet even now, says the Lord,

return to me with all your hearts,

with fasting, with weeping, and with sorrow;

tear your hearts

and not your clothing.

Return to the Lord your God,

for he is merciful and compassionate,

very patient, full of faithful love,

and ready to forgive.

The Prophet Joel was tired of the shallow faith he saw in the lives of the people around him. Theirs was a “surface” type of faith. Saying all the right things but without remorse or commitment to real and serious change. He challenges them to a time of fasting and repentance, He uses this visual image: “tear your hearts not your clothing,” which was the ritual way of showing remorse. He wants them to go deeper, to move beyond the external symbols to a real change.

Too often we, like the people Joel first challenged, tend to live this surface type of faith. We bless people we meet, we go to church on Sunday, and we ask for forgiveness often. While all of these are good, without sincerity and changed lives we do not improve as a person and we do not deepen our walk with God.

I think of an example. A person I knew had an anger problem. Just about anything would set him off. He would yell and sometimes act in a threatening way that scared his family and friends. He would feel genuine remorse later and come asking for forgiveness. Yet nothing really changed. One night he was standing outside of the bedroom as his wife put their daughter to bed. He listened to her prayers. After the normal thanking God for the people and pets in her life she said this, “And God, help daddy to not be angry because I am tired of being afraid.” He was guilt stricken.

Words of forgiveness were not enough. He had to do something. That night he got out a jar and put a label on it, “Angry Fines.” The next day he told the family that every time they saw him getting angry to tell him to put a dollar in the jar. Whenever it got to a set amount the family, without him, would go to the movies. Early on the family went to a lot of movies. But each day he strived harder to not have to put in a dollar. One day a year or so later the family realized that it had been more than a month since he had last paid a fine. To celebrate they all went to Disney Land.

Sometimes words are not enough. Enacting real change is hard but we don’t have to do it alone. Joel reminds us of the true nature of God. God is patient, loving, compassionate, merciful and ready to forgive. When we truly strive to change we have all the help we need.

Change is hard, full of weeping and sorrow, but with love God will see us through to a new beginning.

Let us pray:

Loving God, help us to go deep to tear our hearts not our clothes. Give us the strength to really change and forgive us and love us throughout this journey. AMEN

This devotion was written by Bill Green and read by Amy Large.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.

Jesus said these words in His sermon on the Mount, and he emphasized this command again in Matthew 6:14-15: “For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.”

Forgiving is very important and sometimes quite difficult for us. Think that through. If I asked you to sit down and write a list of your enemies, who would make the list? Maybe people from your past who harmed you, or someone you love, would be first on the list. Maybe you would list collective enemies who harm other people or do great wrongs in the world. Maybe some politicians would make your list, or terrorists, or murderers, and other violent criminals. Maybe some people who disagree with your theology or your philosophy would make the list. Maybe that former friend who betrayed you and broke your heart would be high on the list. Perhaps a close family member who hurt you so much that the bitterness still fills your heart when you are reminded of that person. The list may be long or short, but it is hurtful.

Perhaps we need to make a second list of all the sins and hurts we have committed; all the things we need God to forgive us for.

Put the two lists side by side, literally or figuratively, and see what God sees—two sinners in need of His great LOVE and forgiveness. Two lists that He can eliminate! He will forgive us if we forgive them! Will we?

Let’s pray…

Dear loving God, forgive me and help me to forgive my persecutors and my enemies, as well as my loved ones and neighbors. Help me to be most generous with my LOVE and forgiveness. Please forgive these on my list, Lord. You know my heart, Lord, and you know I need a lot of mercy and forgiveness. Help me to be as generous as you, Lord, forgiving over and over – constantly striving to live in LOVE. Help me to remember to love my enemies and to pray for the ones who may hate me and persecute me, just as I pray for myself and all those who love me. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.

This devotional was written and read by Bernice Howard.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

Above all, never stop loving each other, for like a warm blanket love covers a great number of broken ways.

The comforting warmth a blanket can give on a chilly day or a cold night is something we all have enjoyed since we came into the world. Babies are swaddled, children are tucked under comforters, and adults sometimes enjoy the warmth of quilts made by family members or previous generations. The first people who walked this land had only blankets, animal skins, and wood fires for keeping warm. In the rich imagery of these cultures, love is like a warm blanket. This nurturing love offers a chance to learn from our mistakes and faults. If someone in our lives needs forgiveness, love can help restore harmony and connection. Love acts as a powerful covering for failings within families and community and even ourselves. It can help with feelings of security and safety.

We are asked in this verse to love “above all.” Instead of focusing on our broken ways the teachings of Jesus focus on love. When we walk the road of love it becomes easier to build unity with the people around us, with the marginalized, and with those from cultures or groups different than our own. Wounds heal and strong bonds are built as the blanket of love covers and forgives, encourages and brings peace.

Think for a moment about where you, in your life journey, might benefit from being surrounded by extra comfort and warmth. Then visualize a colorful, thick blanket wrapping fully around you, bringing peace to the broken places, the heartaches, or the worries. This is a never-ending love, always present, and worth sharing with everyone who walks beside us.

Prayer:

Loving God, we offer you our broken places and broken ways, knowing that you heal and restore us each day. Help us walk the good road of love, reaching out to those who need comfort. AMEN.

This devotional was written by Jenny Green and read by Amy Large.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.

Sometimes I think we have completely forgotten how to be humble. So I asked myself, what does it mean to be humble? I looked it up, and I reviewed the etymology, “from the ground, i.e., humus.” For the language lovers listening—how mundane. But on the other hand, how profound. From the dirt, just like every other creature on the planet, we are all mundane from birth until death.

As I pondered the world I live in, I realized that the humble are among us. They simply disappear in a crowd unless we intentionally search for them. They are quiet, almost invisible, and small- intentionally. They move among us whispering, not about themselves, but to check on others, to ask questions like “are you alright?” and to thank others. They do not point out wrong and shout, but they do ask, “Can I help?” They do clean up messes, hug liberally, and provide nourishment for the stomach and the soul. They show up. They look with both eyes open, seeing the hurt and ugliness in the world, and yet seeking out the good and beautiful that sits waiting amongst it all. They hear the shouts, the hurt, and the anger, yet instead of yelling back, they shed a tear, sweep up the broken pieces, offer a kind word, and ask if they can be of help. They break the bread, offer to run the errand, and give up a seat. They do not wear their pride like armor to protect themselves from perceived slights. They bear their hands, not arms, in order to do the work Jesus asks of us in the service of God’s creation.

For all the imperfections we see in the world, let us not forget that it is nothing more than a mirror of our own humanness and imperfections. Why do humans feel the need to point out imperfections and flaws? When we see someone stumble, do we stand by and say, “if they had been paying attention, they would have seen that stumbling block?” Or, do we help them up from their fall, ask if they are ok, and help them push the stone from the path so that we do not stumble in the future?

We should all realize how little value there is in spending our time focusing on the dead ends and hollow words of our mundane humanness and imperfections. Let us direct our attention and others to what can be done in love. At each moment, shouldn’t we choose a next step that draws us closer to The Way—a step that can help us and others focus on what is of value? For the humble among us quietly share the love of God by focusing on what really matters.

Let us pray together:

God, help us to accept that we are mundane. In humility, may we accept that we are all of this earth and show us how to value what matters. May we clear paths, offer support, and encourage those around us. Help us to heal wounds, not create them. In quietness and confidence, please guide us with the strength that needs no pride, Amen.

This devotional was written by Jill Pope and read by Susan Daves.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

If you missed any of those episodes, you might want to consider listening to them today. And even if you heard them all, there may be one that you might want to listen to again. We hope that each of these scriptures and podcasts will bring you a full measure of joy, peace, and love.

Now, let's listen to the scriptures that have been on our hearts this week.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

Friends love all the time, and kinsfolk are born for times of trouble.

Friendship is an easy word to use when life is calm. It becomes harder to define when circumstances change, and the structures that once held relationships in place fall away.

Over more than twenty years of caring for our disabled daughter, I’ve learned that some relationships fade not because people are unkind, but because endurance asks more than sympathy. When a situation becomes long-term instead of temporary, love is tested quietly.

When Hannah moved into a nursing home last August, many relationships naturally shifted. Nurses who had cared for her in our home for years were no longer part of our daily lives. That was expected. Roles had changed.

But one nurse continued to come to Hannah’s room even after she had no professional obligation to do so. She washed Hannah’s hair, brushed it slowly, sat with her, and talked with her. She wasn’t doing that for us. She was doing it for Hannah.

Hannah could not communicate in typical ways, but she was clear about how she felt around the people who cared for her. On those days, she was visibly calmer and at ease. Her body told the story her words could not. She knew she was being loved.

That care was not transactional. Hannah could not repay it. And yet the relationship was real and mutual. The nurse knew the difference her presence made. Hannah knew she was safe. Something meaningful moved in both directions, even though it looked different on each side.

Proverbs says that a friend loves at all times, and that a brother is born for adversity. It’s not drawing lines between friendship and family. It’s reminding us that love proves itself by staying.

Sometimes, family is defined by genetics. Sometimes it is discovered through faithfulness. Often, it is recognized only when obligation has ended, but love has not.

Prayer:

Father, thank you for love that shows up quietly and keeps showing up. Help us notice the gifts of presence we’ve been given, and shape us into people who offer the same to others. May our love reflect yours. Amen.

This devotional was written and read by Donn King.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.

It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.

Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.

It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

I John 4:8

Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.

God is love. This simple truth is the heart of the Christian faith. God is love, and today’s beautiful and often quoted scripture from Paul’s letter to the Corinthian church describes how love shows itself in action. It can help us discern God’s activity in the world. If we substitute God for love, we can be reminded that God is patient and God is kind. God does not boast, and is not proud. God does not dishonor others and is not self-seeking. God is not easily angered and keeps no record of wrongs. God does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. God always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

I find this so comforting. It blesses me to pause and consider the tenderness, patience, and strength with which God loves me and all of those whom I love. God is love. It is a simple truth to which I cling. But simple does not mean easy. Simple can be challenging. Simple can be downright hard.

Whoever does not love does not know God. And that means that if I am trying to live as a Christ-follower, I should also be able to describe myself and my actions with these words. They teach me not only what love is, but how to love. What happens if I substitute my name for the word love in this passage? Is Greta patient? Is she kind? Does she envy, or boast? Does she dishonor others? Is she proud, self-seeking, easily angered? Or, here’s a tough one: does she keep a record of wrongs? Does she delight in evil, or rejoice with the truth? Can I say with conviction, Greta always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres?

Today and every day, may I be challenged to love as God loves. May I open my heart to make more room for God, that I might be perfected in love.

Prayer:

Dear God, you are perfect love. Forgive us when we love imperfectly, and transform us to love as you do, that the world might know you through us. In Christ’s holy name, amen.

Today’s devotion was written and read by Greta Smith.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

Let’s listen to some words of lament from two people discussing anger toward God:

PERSON 1: Hey my friend, why so glum?

PERSON 2: Oh, you know, work’s not going well; I’ve got family issues, and my marriage is on the way out.

PERSON 1: So life is hard, but God is good, right?

PERSON 2: If you say so.

PERSON 1: What do you mean? You can’t blame all your problems on God.

PERSON 2: Why not? If God’s so good and so powerful, why is he allowing life to dump all this stuff on me?

PERSON 1: I think you need to pray about all this.

PERSON 2: Maybe I do, but I don’t think God would like what I have to say to him right now. God’s not treating me fairly.

PERSON 1: It’s not right to pray like that!

PERSON 2: Why not? You think God wants me to lie to him?

PERSON 1: Well no, but, but, (emphatically) who do you think you are?

PERSON 2: I think I’m one of God’s children, but a pretty angry one.

PERSON 1: Well maybe you should start your prayer by praising God as your heavenly Father. PERSON 2: I’d rather start by telling him about my anger!

Dialogue improvised after this.

Our prayer is from Proverbs 3: 5 & 6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not rely on your own insight. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight!”

Narrated by Ralphine Hood and Bernice Howard. Produced and recorded by Sam Barto.

Beloved, since God loved us so much, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; If we love one another, God lives in us, and his love is perfected in us.

The fourth chapter of 1 John, is the fullest discussion concerning the love of God that we find in our Bible. It is a richer and more challenging message than is to be found in 1 Corinthians 13, often called the “Hymn of Love.” It gives us a definition of God: “God is love.” Think about that. From the beginning of time, people have tried to describe and understand God. The writer of 1 John sums it up in those three words, “God is Love.” Because this is the very nature of God, we have the absolute assurance that God loves us. These are not just words of affirmation but also words of challenge. For the writer of 2 John this means that God is love, we must love one another. All of us who take the name Christian must understand that loving others is not a choice but our duty if we are to faithfully follow our God who is love.

We know how hard it is to love everyone. Let’s face it, there are people out there who, to our way of thinking, are unlovable. They have hurt us or ones we love. Others think or believe in ways we see as wrong. Then there are those who, by their choices, seem to have misery and brokenness follow them. But we are, as followers of Christ, to love them anyway.

When we do strive to love all people, this passage of scripture says some amazing things happen.

The first of these is that God lives in us. God knows how hard it is for us to love some people, and so we don’t have to try to do it all by ourselves. The God of love abides in us, giving us the power and strength to love. Think about it. Don’t we all want God to live deep inside us, helping us and bringing light to all of our lives? If God is Love, then the only way to make that happen is to love others. Loving others opens our hearts and lives to more fully welcome God into our lives.

Second, as we do this, God’s love matures within us. Loving as God wishes is a skill that is to be learned. And like all skills, the more you practice it, the better you get at it.

Finally, others, because of that love, glimpse God. No one can see God, but as we live out the command to love, there are glimpses of God for the world to see. The sure sign of God’s continued dwelling among us is our love for one another.

As I examine my responses towards people over the past few days, I see where I could have done better. I was not always loving others as God loves me. Those individuals did not, I am guessing, glimpse the light of God’s love in my actions. So this day and every day, I am going to live and love in such a way that God’s love will live in me, enlighten me, and grow in me.

Let us pray:

O dearest God, you are the source of all love. When our actions betray your loving presence, forgive us. Strengthen us so that we can do better. We know your love is a gift not to hold but to pass on to others through our actions so that they can see you more fully and come to know you more deeply. Guide us and help us to love. AMEN.

This devotional was written by Bill Green and read by Cliff McCartney.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.

Proverbs 17:17 (The Message)

Friends love through all kinds of weather, and families stick together in all kinds of trouble.

I believe the kind of love spoken of in both of these scriptures is Agape love—love which is selfless, unconditional, and sacrificial. It is rooted in goodwill and action rather than feeling.

I have heard it said that it is better to have a friend nearby than a brother far away. I have no brothers, just brothers-in-law, some 500 miles away. As our family has grown, I now have sons-in-law and grandsons-in-law. I know my brothers-in-law would show up if they were needed and lived closer. I also feel that I could call on my sons-in-law if I needed help with almost anything.

My observation and experience have been that women develop closer friendships than men. There are surely exceptions, especially where there is a strong common interest like a love of fishing, golf, or some other passion. However, men seem less willing to show any signs of weakness or vulnerability to other men.

When we say “love is a verb,” it certainly implies action of some kind. I believe it means an intentional commitment to the well-being of others without expecting anything in return.

I have had individuals just show up and offer to help in situations where help was obviously needed. After my father died many years ago, a friend called and said, “Emmit, when are we going to shear the sheep?” There is not one person in a thousand who would make that offer. While not the most unpleasant job, it is very physically demanding. This is especially true if one is not physically fit, as you must put your body in unusual positions for a sustained period. I will never forget that phone call.

I hope you have a good friend. They may be in your family or not. They need to be someone you can trust with some of your deepest thoughts, hurts, or feelings. If you don’t have one, maybe the best way to start is by being a good friend and sharing Agape love with others.

Prayer:

Father, we pray that all can have a good, trusted friend. We know that You are always a friend, but it probably helps to have one with skin on. Amen.

This devotion was written and read by Emmit Rawls.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

Serve one another humbly in love.

This is an eye-opening scripture for me. As I have been thinking and reflecting on it these last couple of weeks, memories have been flooding in of people I have known and know who serve humbly often. First, it is important to think about what a humble servant actually looks like. They are not proud, don’t believe they are better than others, respectful, modest, gentle, and unpretentious. Admirable qualities, though they don’t always come naturally. In James 4:6, we read that “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” I believe that humility is a sign of strong character and is often shown in empathy. Humble servants also appreciate their blessings and our thanks.

As I have been reflecting, I am more aware of those who modeled being humble servants in my life. Two of the most humble people I ever encountered were my parents. Though I didn’t recognize it fully at the time, looking back, it is very clear. Yes, I knew they were quietly serving others even through small gestures over the years. My mother worked full-time outside the home (most mothers did not at that time), and yet she found time to serve. She baked cookies for our neighbors, created and made crafts for fundraisers for a local organization, knitted blankets, beanies, and dog sweaters for the people she knew and for those she might never meet. Her job was in social services, and she helped so many people. It did not matter who they were, what the situation was, nor how very different their ideas or values might be. She loved our community and was always working to make it safer and more hospitable. She sat with those in need, comforted, and assisted in any way she could.

My Dad was also very humble and very much a servant. He was always available to any household on our street – no matter the need. He taught us to see the person behind the story and how their circumstances just might be causing issues for them. He spent so much time with the neighborhood kids, playing ball and assisting with our math homework. When I first married, I discovered some of the quiet services he provided. He went to a local nursing home and read to a very sweet lady who was almost blind. While the reading was a gift, more important was the time he spent with her sharing his love each week. He knew about his fellow workmates, their families, and their ups and downs. He actively prayed for them and helped whenever he could. He wrote letters to his siblings, his friends, those he met when attending banking classes, his kids, and others. He never said a word, but these acts of service were revealed later.

My special mentor, an older woman, also served humbly and quietly. No task was too small, unimportant or beneath her. She loved so deeply, and somehow, she always seemed to know what to do. There were many days we spent merely sharing a meal that became moments of real grace as she listened to a much younger person struggling with life. She would never take credit for the many things she did behind the scenes, all done out of love with a servant’s heart. She connected people to each other for the purpose of sharing faith and hope.

And then, my neighbor. He’s just amazing. He goes to work in the very early hours of the morning and returns in mid-afternoon. Quietly, we often find our trash can returned to its proper place, our leaves blown off the driveway and side yard. He keeps an eye on the house, moving packages onto the porch when it rains; he bakes cookies to share and spends time chatting with us. He is often found helping the other neighbors as well with mowing, tree limbs, and whatever might happen. It’s just his nature. He is kind, humble, and operates from his faith. He expects no thanks or pat on the back. He’s just following his servant heart.

There are many others I might share, but there isn’t enough time in any day. The reality is that all 4 of these servants are humble, not self-serving. They don’t serve others for recognition (in fact, they would rather not be applauded). They are called to serve, to serve quietly, to invite others by their actions into service.

I am so grateful for these servants in my life. Today, take a moment to reflect on those humble servants in your life. Thank God for them. Then, start pondering how you serve others. Be a humble servant in the days to come. You will be blessed.

Let's pray together.

Gracious God, help us this day to serve you by serving others. May we really see the person, your creation, as we serve. May our hearts be humble and our service be meaningful and filled with love. Let us be a blessing to others every day. We pray these things in the name of your son, Jesus Christ. Amen.

This devotion was written and read by Lisa Blackwood.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

This is Scripture Saturday, a time when we pause and reflect on the scriptures we have read throughout the week. If you missed any of our devotionals on these passages, you can find them on our website at 1stChurch.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

Now, we invite you to listen and receive Grace. Welcome and thank you for joining us.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

Hatred stirs up conflict, but love covers all wrongs.

There have been several songs written through the years about love being something the world needs now more than ever, with such examples heavy on my mind lately being “Where is the Love?” by the Black-Eyed Peas and “What the World Needs Now is Love” by Dionne Warwick. In watching recent news stories regarding the atrocities that have taken place in Minnesota at the hands of ICE, I feel that the lyrics of each of these songs are something that we ought to be paying closer attention to.

The hatred and atrocities brought on by the agents from ICE have taken on many forms, from the murders of Rene Good and Alex Pretti, who were innocent citizens, to the detaining of Liam Ramos, a five year old boy and his forceful separation from his parents all the while defense is being given that the ultimatum was to leave this young, innocent child wearing a blue, rabbit-eared hat to freeze, the hatred is speaking loud and stirring up conflict to the point that it feels impossible to find any sort of hope or love in the world and makes it easy to ask the question the Black-Eyed Peas ask: “where IS the love?”

While it seems impossible to find hope and think that love covers all wrongs at the moment, and it will surely take time for it to do so in this time, as Mister Rogers once said: “When I was a boy and would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You always find people who are helping.’” I feel that in this day and age, now more than ever, it’s crucial that we follow Mister Rogers advice that we look for the helpers, or strive to be helpers, to spread that love that the world desperately needs now.

Will you pray with me?

God, please wrap your loving arms around everyone affected either by the tragedies taking place in Minnesota or those who are simply shaken up seeing more bad news being a constant. But help us not to forget to look for the helpers and try to help give even a faint gleam of love that the world desperately needs now so we may move towards a better tomorrow. In your name we pray, amen.

This devotion was written and recorded by Grace Jonas.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.

A couple of years ago, my family and I took a trip to Normandy, France. We stood on Omaha Beach and Utah Beach. We walked through the American Cemetery, where row after row of white crosses stretch toward the sea. We drove through the Normandy countryside, where during World War II, American soldiers fought their way through hedgerows and small French villages. It's quiet there now. Beautiful, even. But you can still feel the weight of what happened in 1944.

Band of Brothers is a TV series based on the Stephen Ambrose book of the same name. I've read the book, and I've seen the series more times than I can count. It is a tradition in my house to watch all 12 hours of the series every Memorial Day.

It tells the story of Easy Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division—their experiences in World War II, from training in Georgia to celebrating the end of the war at Adolf Hitler's Eagle's Nest.

The men in Easy Company weren't related by blood. They came from different states, different backgrounds, different walks of life. They were just regular guys thrown together into an Army unit.

But their shared experiences changed that. By the time they reached the Eagle's Nest, they weren't just friends anymore. They were brothers—men who would die for each other, who knew each other's souls, who carried each other's pain.

The series takes its name from Shakespeare's Henry V. Before the Battle of Agincourt, King Henry tells his outnumbered soldiers: "We few, we happy few, we band of brothers; For he to-day that sheds his blood with me shall be my brother." Shakespeare understood something about the way shared adversity affects people.

Which brings us to Proverbs 17:17: What's the difference between a friend and a brother?

The Hebrew word for friend is rea—someone you choose. But ach, the word for brother, carries the sense of being born into relationship. You don't choose your siblings; you inherit them.

So here's what the proverb is saying: Friends who love at all times—who show up in the hard moments, who stay when things get difficult—they become brothers. Adversity doesn't just test relationships; it transforms them into something deeper.

That's what happened to Easy Company. They chose to be friends, but combat forged them into brothers. Standing there in Normandy, I could almost see it—how every shared foxhole, every battle, every loss made them more family than some people born in the same house ever become.

And here's where this hits home for us: The Church isn't meant to be a social club of people who happen to share similar beliefs. We're called to be a family—brothers and sisters forged together through shared adversity.

What transforms us from friendly acquaintances into actual family? The same thing that transformed Easy Company. Showing up when it's hard. Sitting with someone through grief. Walking alongside them through doubt. Being honest about our own struggles instead of pretending we've got it all together.

Jesus calls us friends in John 15, but by the time we've walked through real life together—through loss and doubt and failure and redemption—we become something more. We become the family of God, brothers and sisters, not by birth but by choice made permanent through shared adversity.

So, who in your life has moved from friend to family? Who showed up when everyone else disappeared? And maybe more importantly, who needs you to be that person for them right now?

Prayer

Father, thank you for the friends who became family by loving us at all times. Help us show up for each other in the hard moments, knowing that's where true brotherhood is forged. Amen.

This devotional was written and read by Cliff McCartney.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.

No one has ever seen God. That's a bold statement, and it might surprise us at first. What about Moses on the mountain? What about Isaiah's vision of the throne room? What about Ezekiel and the wheels within wheels?

But the Jewish teachers understood something important. Moses saw God's glory, but not God's face. Isaiah saw the hem of God's robe, the train filling the temple. Ezekiel was careful to say he saw "the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord." These are protective phrases, theological qualifiers. They saw manifestations, revelations, glimpses. But God's essence, God as God truly is, remains beyond human sight.

So if no one has ever seen God, how do we know God is real? How do we encounter the invisible?

John gives us the answer, and it is disarmingly simple. If we love one another, God lives in us. Love makes God visible. Not in some abstract, mystical sense, but in concrete, everyday action. When we love our neighbor, we are not just doing something nice. We are participating in a revelation. The unseen God becomes recognizable through human faithfulness.

We are made in God's image. That's what Genesis tells us. But that image is not a static thing we possess like eye color or height. It is something we enact. When love remains just a word, just a sentiment we feel but never act upon, the image stays hidden. But when love becomes active, when it takes the form of kindness and generosity and honest engagement with our neighbors, then the image of God becomes legible. People can read it in our lives.

This is what it means for God's love to be made complete in us. Not that we perfect ourselves, but that God's own character becomes visible through what we do. We become, in a sense, everyday theophanies. Not burning bushes or pillars of fire, but ordinary people through whom the invisible God shows up.

Prayer

Our Father, we cannot see you with our eyes, but we can make you visible through our love. Help us to be faithful in this calling, so that others may catch a glimpse of you through us. Amen.

This devotional was written by Jim Stovall.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

Hatred stirs up conflict, but love covers over all wrongs.

Turn on the news, open Facebook, any social media sites, or check your preferred news sources, and you will invariably find angry, bitter comments and fighting words. Read or listen for a while, and opponents will soon start slinging angry comments at each other, tempers flare, words get nasty, and hatred boils.

Later, we may have conversations about our feelings on the debates we’ve heard, and our anger can grow into hatred for those ideas. Perhaps we even feel hatred for those who take the opposing side. That feeling of hatred can make us unhappy and uncomfortable and can lead to more conflict inside our thoughts. The hatred of the idea pushes us to feel conflicted toward the person and negative words may slip out. Hatred simmers. Where is LOVE?

The hated idea is not the person, but the person holding the hateful idea gets stuck in our feelings as an enemy. We don’t start out to hate someone, but those awful conflicting ideas that we disagree with are so hard to separate from the person! How can we forgive the person for the ideas we find detestable ,and how can we LOVE that person, in spite of the awful ideas?

Only with the help of God can we reach this goal. Only with the LOVE of Jesus can we get a handle on this dilemma. We must not let hatred stir up conflict in our hearts, for there it will boil over into words or actions and will control our thoughts. If we really focus on the Greatest LOVE ever known in the world – the LOVE God showed for us by giving His only begotten Son to die for us – then God’s LOVE can help to keep our feelings and emotions in check, even when we feel righteous anger.

God’s LOVE covers all wrongs. God’s LOVE can transform our angry feelings and relieve our conflict. God’s LOVE overflowing from our hearts can end the battle of ideas and keep us focused on the truth…God is LOVE, and he is asking us to live in that LOVE. He will help us to LOVE our enemy. He will help us to relieve our pain, but we have to allow His LOVE to be first in our minds and hearts.

Prayer:

Dear God, help us today and every day to center our hearts and minds in your LOVE. Draw us to you in prayer and help us to constantly forgive our enemies and to turn these worries over to you. Help us to remember that an idea is not the person. We don’t have to agree with bad ideas, but we have to find a way to LOVE the people who have the bad ideas, who take the bad actions. We have one job – LOVE YOU and LOVE our neighbors as we LOVE ourselves. Help us to stay focused on that job and to allow you to keep our thoughts covered in LOVE. We can’t change another’s thoughts, but we can change ours with your help. Help us keep our thoughts in LOVE. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

This devotional was written and read by Bernice Howard.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

As for me, my life has already been poured out as an offering to God. The time of my death is near. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. And now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me, but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing.

Bonnie Ware spent a number of years as a palliative care nurse. She cared for the dying. Over the course of that time she heard a great many patients express regrets, and she began to catalog them. Some were particular to an individual, but many of them she heard from a lot of patients. She listed the ones she heard most frequently, and from that list and her experiences she wrote a book, “The Top Five Regrets of the Dying.” Here are a couple of them.

The most frequent regret she heard was: I wish I had had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others wanted for me. In other words, I wish I had listened to my heart and followed my own dreams rather than trying to meet the expectations of others.

Number two was: I wish I hadn’t worked so hard. Every male patient who expressed regret said this. They were saying I wish I had spent more time with the people I love.

As I reflected on the most common regrets people have as they near the end of life, what strikes me is that all of them,at the base, have to do with relationships. Jesus told us that what is most important is our relationship with God, with others, and with ourselves. We call this the Great Commandment.

In contrast with those who ended up with a life of regrets, listen to the Apostle Paul. He says, “The time of my death is near. I have fought the good fight (that is, I’ve given my life to what matters), I have finished the race (my life is ending), I have remained faithful.” No regrets!

It’s not too late for you and me to turn our regrets into resolutions.

I Resolve: to live an authentic life, not one someone else wants for me but one true to who I really am.

I Resolve: to put relationships first: my relationship with my Creator and my Savior, with central people in my life, and to engage everyone with kindness and helpfulness. So there are no regrets!

Prayer:

O Holy One, I have this one life to live. Help me not to waste it, but to make your priorities mine, and finish my race with faithfulness. Amen.

This devotional was written and read by Herb Sadler.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

Serve one another humbly in love.

We spend our lives learning how to live. The world is a complicated place. We get to a point where we have knowledge and experience, and we look around trying to solve problems. With an eye to help and being a servant, we try to help others.

We want to share. We want to help. We want to love. But sometimes, we think others should thank us for telling them what to do, how to do it, or when to do it. Since childhood, isn’t this how we’ve been told to react to someone who has gone out of their way to help us? Isn’t that what being polite and grateful is about? Heaven help us, we think that they should learn from us, be like us, and value what we have.

Where is the humility in this? With closer examination, neither the giving nor the thanking is an issue. So what is the issue then, but simply the expectation. What is humility if not simply abandoning expectation, leaving behind the expectation to be thanked, to be repaid, to be thought well of, to be praised, to be rewarded, to be noticed.

Humility is the ability to abandon expectation, both positive and negative. If we carry the love of God to others, then why be troubled by whether we are praised, insulted, or ignored? Let the faith and hope that God’s love brings us be shared regardless of whether others understand the motivation.

Let us begin each interaction by looking to what others need and want. Let us start with a question not an answer. Let us start by listening, not speaking. Let us start and end with love, not arrogance. Then the light and love that we share can shine brightest in a world that is filled with need.

Let us pray together:

God, forgive us each time we let pride in our accomplishments overshadow our gratitude for what you have shared with us. May we not expect to be given but grateful that we have been given love in such abundance that we should never want. May hope and faith lead us to share with others with no expectation other than your love being there for us every moment, Amen.

The devotion was written by Jill Pope and read by Susan Daves.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

If you missed any of those episodes, you might want to consider listening to them today. And even if you heard them all, there may be one that you might want to listen to again. We hope that each of these scriptures and podcasts will bring you a full measure of joy, peace, and love.

Now, let's listen to the scriptures that have been on our hearts this week.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

Let the Lord give strength to his people! Let the Lord bless his people with peace!

In isolation the closing verse of Psalm 29 is a soothing verse. But in context, it is even more soothing.

It reminds me of a memory I have from childhood. I grew up in West Tennessee. Tornadoes were just part of the landscape, with 92 of them between 1960 and 1980. We didn’t have as many as the folks in Oklahoma. I once knew a guy from Oklahoma who claimed his home had a wind-checker by the front door. It was a knothole through which you poked a crowbar to test the wind. If the crowbar bent, you didn’t open the door. But we had a lot of tornadoes in West Tennessee, and even more storms that were nearly tornadoes.

We didn’t have a storm shelter, but my parents had their house built with a central hub instead of a hallway, including a windowless bathroom. I remember huddling with my family in that place of relative safety, insulated from the other rooms with windows that could break in the wind and scatter life-threatening glass shards. Many times we sat in that room lit only by candles with the power out, and listened to the winds howling outside.

When the storm passed, the quiet felt more peaceful, less taken for granted, than before the storm.

Psalm 29 seems to be a Psalm of David, written as he witnessed a storm sweeping in from the Mediterranean Sea, shattering cedars in Lebanon, and tearing through Israel destroying wilderness and forests before finally devolving into peace, leaving God still enthroned and his people at peace.

When God goes with us through the storms of life, it makes the peace he ultimately brings that much more profound.

Father, we face many storms in this life. You came to us in the person of Jesus and lived as one of us, among us, and so you know the storms of life firsthand, beyond the knowledge that comes from being our Creator. Thank you for the peace that passes understanding when we trust in you despite our circumstances. In the name of Christ we pray, Amen.

This devotion was written and read by Donn King.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

This devotion was written and read by Leslie Ragland.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me.

A pivotal figure in the book of Psalms is King David. Each of the Psalms shows a different aspect of the life of King David and his unwavering faith in his Lord, which is what I find perhaps the most impressive about David as a character.

What I find even more impressive about David is how far back this faith traces: to his battle with Goliath, in which it seemed the odds were stacked against him, armed only with a slingshot and several stones, while his adversary towered over him and wielded a sword. However, despite these terrifying odds, David stood strong in the face of adversity, placing his trust in the Lord, and was able to slay the giant.

David is a testament to the Lord being his strength and shield, as the Lord helped him through what should have otherwise been an impossible battle. However, due to his unwavering faith and trust, he was able to stand strong in the faith of adversity and have God as his strength and shield. In modern times, it is easy to feel that our battles are impossible or likened to Goliaths, however, we should all strive to be like David and let the lord be our strength and shield, for as long as we place our trust in him, he will help and protect us always.

Let us pray:

Dear God, help us always remember that while we may face some harsh battles, like David, that you are with us. May we place our faith in you so you may be our strength and shield now and always. Amen.

This devotion was written and recorded by Grace Jonas.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

This scripture appears in the Gospel of John, as part of Jesus’ long soliloquy to the disciples preparing them for his departure. It provides the transition between the Last Supper and the arrest of Jesus. The disciples are confused and troubled by Jesus’ words. It is only after his death and resurrection and appearance in their midst that they begin to understand.

Over 2000 years later, we are like the disciples. At moments in our lives, we are stunned by loss and grief and we cannot see the promise of new life. Perhaps it is the end of a relationship; the loss of a job; the death of a loved one. Where do we go from here?

One of my favorite stories in the New Testament takes place near the end of the book of John. It is set at the tomb of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, a place of death and loss. It is pre-dawn and Mary Magdalene has come to the tomb and discovered it is empty. She runs to tell Simon Peter and the other disciples. The men rush to the tomb and likewise discover it to be empty, then leave.

But Mary stands there weeping. She looks into the tomb and sees two angels inside. They say, “Woman why are you weeping?” Mary replies she does not know where the body of Jesus has been taken, then turns around and, through her tears, sees a man she believes to be a gardener. The figure is actually Jesus, but Mary does not recognize him. He asks her why she is weeping and she says, “Sir, tell me where they have taken him, and I will take him away.”

This is the darkest hour, both physically and spiritually, for Mary. Earlier she stood at the foot of the cross. All her hopes and dreams for Christ to be the Savior of the world, have died. And now she cannot even find the body to prepare it for burial. Mary is in despair. Then Jesus speaks her name, “Mary!” and she recognizes his voice. “Rabboni!” she exclaims. And the sun comes up over the tomb and her heart nearly bursts with joy. A new world is dawning, and Mary realizes that Jesus has fulfilled his promise. “In the world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Let us pray:

Dear God, we thank you for the fulfillment of your love through the life of Jesus Christ. We know that in this world we will have trouble. But we take heart that you have overcome the world and will work all things for ultimate good. Thanks be to you for the gift of your Son. Amen.

This devotion was written by Laura Derr and read by Susan Daves.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

“He must become greater; I must become less.”

In this scripture, John the Baptist is recognizing that his ministry and notoriety will be diminishing as Jesus’ ministry begins. The brash desert preacher is happy to now take a back seat to the Messiah.

When I was a teenager, my brother lived in a communal home referred to as The Jesus House in Jacksonville Beach, Florida. Our family once had an opportunity to visit the house and meet the residents. It was quite an experience to see a group of young people immersed in the mission of following Jesus.

On one occasion later, my brother brought the leader of the house to Maryville to visit with my family. When I greeted him, I’ll never forget that he said, “You look more like Jesus every time I see you.” I was so proud of that, something that probably should have been a real red flag, but I was new in my faith and my love language has always been words of affirmation. I mean, who wouldn’t want to hear that?

For me, new life in Christ means more than a beginning but rather a constant evolution towards the goal of “More of You, less of me.” I should always be working to morph into a state where I am a reflection of Christ to the world rather than a really good version of me.

In reality, I’ll admit that it still feels good to be recognized for the good that I do, the good that I give, and the good that I have become. I’m afraid that I haven’t quite tipped the scales to John’s declaration of “He must become greater; I must become less.” So how do we make this a reality for ourselves?

The new life for each of us should become a daily striving to achieve what Paul wrote about in the very familiar Romans 12:1. Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.

I struggled a bit with what this means in practice. But The Message translation explains to me better what is meant by a living sacrifice. It says: So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him.

If we can make this a consistent, daily practice, I believe we can begin to see the scales start to tip towards “More of You, less of me.”

Let’s pray together:

Father God, I want to better reflect your love in every aspect of my everyday living. Help me to always seek the new life in Christ that you desire for me so that only your light shines through me. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

This devotional was written and read by Charlie Barton.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other's faults because of your love.

Well, well……. Patience is an interesting concept. It is about how we handle adversity, delays, unpleasant circumstances, and trouble.

Our first thought, at least mine, is how often I am caught in traffic and am irritated with the slow or distracted driver in front of me. That driver is keeping me from my destination for no obvious reason. In the end, I might be delayed by one or two minutes, but the frustration I feel and anger I feel are just not examples of patience at all. I am the only one affected by that childish outburst.

As I was thinking about this scripture, I realized that frustration and impatience often go hand in hand and might even be confused. Frustration is more about the inability to cope with situations, much like a child learning a new skill who throws a tantrum when their early eIorts are not successful. Impatience, on the other hand, is about an unwillingness to wait for something. We often tap our foot, honk our horn, drum our fingers or pour out those great big sighs.

Our scripture today tells us to be patient with each other, making allowances for each other. I must say my mother lived this to the fullest. No matter the circumstances, she always rallied with the most kind reason someone might behave in a manner that annoyed the rest of us. With these kind words, she reminded us that we should remember to love others and accept their faults, behaviors, attitudes (whatever the situation) with grace and love. After all, God still loves us even when we are not well behaved.

She hoped that her example of patience would grow in us and we would learn that getting angry or upset out of a lack of patience would diminish over time. She strongly wanted our capacity to overlook and accept these situations without responding negatively, complaining, or getting riled up. She expected us to love first and to live in harmony with others.

Patience is something that has grown in me over time. I have learned that some situations that challenge my patience are simply out of my control, and I must turn them over to God and quit trying to fix them on my own. I must be patient with others and myself. Recently, a situation with a family member was resolved after several years. At first, I tried my way to make things better, and then I gave it to God. Out of the blue, with patience, love and persistent prayer, the relationship was renewed. The peace that follows is abundant.

I think The Message says it well,

“And mark that you do this with humility and discipline – not in fits and starts, but steadily, pouring yourselves out for each other in acts of love, alert at noticing differences and quick at mending fences.

So, we must learn to be and be willing to be patient, to seek harmony, and to love even when we don’t understand, even when we are delayed and our plans are turned upside down.

Patience allows us to work through conflicts and misunderstandings so that we might have harmony and peace in our lives and relationships with others.

May we pray together?

Gracious and loving God, be with us as we grow in our ability and desire to be patient. Allow us to be quick to listen and understand, to see that just as you are patient with our shortcomings, we too should recognize the differences of our fellow travelers and truly seek to live in harmony. You call us to love others and to be patient with them. Guide us as we grow in our love and service with you. In the name of your Son, Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.

This devotional is written and read by Lisa Blackwood.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

This is Scripture Saturday, a time when we pause and reflect on the scriptures we have read throughout the week. If you missed any of our devotionals on these passages, you can find them on our website at 1stChurch.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

Now, we invite you to listen and receive Grace. Welcome and thank you for joining us.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.

STRESS, everyone seems so stressed. Is this new? I don’t really think so. Life is stressful. It’s not going to change. Nothing I say here will change how the world and human society operates.

I could say that I’m too busy to write this; too busy to listen, too busy to notice, too busy to care, too busy to help, too busy to love.

I could say that I’m too poor to share; of my money, my time, my love.

Is it that I don’t have enough, or am I stressing the wrong things?

Have you ever noticed that stress also means what we emphasize- what we focus on?

In fact, when I put the “em-PHA-sis on the wrong syl-LA-ble,” I misunderstand and am misunderstood.

We don’t get to choose what happens in life. We don’t get to choose how other people behave. But it has been pointed out that there is one thing, and one thing only, in life that we have control over, and that is how we react to what happens around us. There is an option to be thoughtful about what we focus on.

There is a battle for our attention and focus. What do we choose to focus on?

Being stressed is a choice.

Being thankful is a choice.

Being sad is a choice.

Being happy is a choice.

Living in fear is a choice.

Living in faith is a choice.

Of course, this is not true about the emotion you feel in a split second. This is about pausing, reflecting, and deciding who we want to be in this world. It takes strength and patience to find the peace of Christ in our hearts. Whose image do you follow, and is it something that you do with or without thought?

The choices we make become the habits of our behavior. They form the pattern of who we are. As we weave the tapestry that becomes a lifetime, what picture will emerge from our choices? Will it be random, angry, and fearful, or will it be intentional, loving, and thankful?

The next time you find that you have lost the peace of Christ in your heart because of the stress of life, what choice will you make?

Let us pause, choose, and pray together.

May the peace of Christ rule in our hearts in the quiet times and the stressful times. Give us the strength to follow Your path and emphasize what matters. Give us the strength and the foresight to pause, reflect, and choose. Thank You for Your grace and forgiveness when we fall short of this, and help us to make choices that show our love for You and our neighbors. Amen.

This devotion was written by Jill Pope and read by Judy Wilson.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

“But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation.”

One of the greatest aspects of my faith is my understanding of God’s unfailing love. I don’t know about you, but I have so many days when, taking stock at the end of the day, I think about so many more things I have done wrong than that I’ve done right. Those seem to be easier to catalog for some reason. Among them, though, are things I’ve said or done that make me feel less-than-lovable.

I consider that “I probably shouldn’t have said that” or “how was that thing I said perceived?” or “I missed that opportunity to do a nice thing for someone” or worse, “I was really a jerk to so-and-so.” Gosh, sometimes I go through that list and wonder how I have any friends left at all!

Don’t get me wrong. Those who know me well know that I’m someone who is trying to be and do better. I fail, but I’m trying.

But in those times when I’m getting more wrong than right, one of the greatest ways I find hope and respite is in the love of God that will never leave me.

When I think about the remarkable strength of the bond I have with my spouse or with my parents, or even with my closest friends, I know that there are things I can say that are heard differently; conversely, they can say the hardest truths to me, as well, and I hear them more earnestly than I would from a stranger or even a person with whom I do not have that bond. I can really be my honest, relaxed self around those closest to me without fear of abandonment or rejection.

That level of loving trust is so very special. But what is remarkable is that the trust in God’s love is even more sure. It is even purer. When we feel our least lovable, it is helpful to know that God’s love is there without judgment — inexplicably from the very One most positioned to judge us — and it never, ever fails us.

Of course, just as I try to do the best and be the best for those I love most in the world, not because I am trying to get them to love me more, but because I want to express my affection for them, this love with God is similarly a two-way street in which I want to be better and be more loving and lovable because I feel so loved. In short, I want not only my heart to rejoice in God’s salvation, but God’s heart to rejoice in my adoration.

Let us pray.

God, we are so thankful for your unwavering, unending, unfailing love. Let us not only never take it for granted, but let it inspire us to love you and your people and your world more fully. Amen.

This devotion was written and read by Dwight Dockery.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

Then Jesus told them this parable: "Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn't he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.' I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.

When Jesus told this parable, he was speaking to people who understood sheep and shepherding. For centuries, the Jewish people had been known throughout the ancient world as expert shepherds. They knew how to care for flocks, how to protect them from predators, and how to find good pasture. So when Jesus began talking about a man with a hundred sheep, his listeners would have nodded along. This was familiar territory.

But then Jesus says something that must have made them pause. The shepherd loses one sheep and leaves the ninety-nine to go searching for it. Wait a minute. Would a good shepherd really do that? Would he really abandon ninety-nine healthy, obedient sheep just to track down one that had wandered off? From a practical standpoint, it doesn't make much sense. You could lose the whole flock while you're out chasing after one stubborn animal.

We understand this kind of thinking in our modern world. Business people today build losses into their calculations. They expect a certain percentage of customers to leave, a certain number of products to fail, a certain amount of shrinkage in their inventory. It's just the cost of doing business. You accept the loss and move on.

But that is not the way God does business. God is not interested in acceptable losses. He does not write off the wanderers and focus on the ones who stayed put. Every single one of us matters to him, not as a percentage or a statistic, but as a beloved child.

The image of the shepherd putting that lost sheep on his shoulders is a tender one. He doesn't drag it back by the ear or scold it for wandering. He carries it home with joy. And then he throws a party. That's what our return means to God. Not relief that the numbers are back in order, but a genuine celebration.

Our Father, thank you for seeking us out when we wander. Thank you for not treating us as acceptable losses. Help us to understand how precious we are in your sight, and to extend that same relentless love to others. Amen.

This devotional was written and recorded by Jim Stovall.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

Put on your new nature and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him.

This letter to the Colossians was written by Paul and Timothy, chosen by God to be apostles of Christ.

In this letter, Paul clearly teaches that Christ has paid for our sins, that Christ has reconciled us to God and that we have been given the knowledge and the ability to grow spiritually. Christ shows us how to live and provides an example of how we are to live and what He would have us become. Christ is Lord of all creation, center of our lives, and King of all. He is Lord over our lives and the head of the body, his church and we are called to nurture our connection to him.

This same scripture found in the Message includes an extra verse which may aid in our understanding. Hear these words…. “Don’t lie to one another. You are done with that old life. It’s like a filthy set of ill-fitting clothes you stripped off and put in the fire. Now you’re dressed in a new wardrobe. Every item of your new way of life is custom-made by the creator, with His label on it. All the old fashions are now obsolete.” And verse 11 adds, “From now on, everyone is defined by Christ, everyone is included in Christ.”

Through these two versions of this verse, we can see many rituals and seasons where we receive validation and opportunities for new life and pathways to leading a Christ-like life. The most obvious are baptism, communion, Easter, and Christmas.

As Paul has clearly taught us, when we learn what Christ is like, we see what we need to become, and all the promises and resolutions we make to be better Christians will be natural. Sin is all around us, but we can improve and conquer our personal sin, and we will then become more Christlike.

Every new year, many people in the world make promises or resolutions to begin once again and make a fresh start. Many resolutions, such as improved health, regular exercise, spend more time with family, visit parents or grandparents more, volunteer more, work on anger issues, share more love, worship more, pray more, and so forth. All these reflect the acknowledgement that our lives can be made better and we can become more Christlike.

What changes have you committed to this year to become more like Christ?

Let us pray together.

Gracious God, as we are entering this new year, let us make our faith, our church, our families, and your children our priority. May we be ever aware of your call on our lives and your desire for us to follow. Let us not only be dressed in new attire but also be filled with the desire to serve every day.

In the name of your Son, Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.

This devotion was written and read by Leland Blackwood.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

As for me, my life has already been poured out as an offering to God. The time of my death is near. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. And now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me, but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing.

Bonnie Ware spent a number of years as a palliative care nurse. She cared for the dying. Over the course of that time she heard a great many patients express regrets, and she began to catalog them. Some were particular to an individual, but many of them she heard from a lot of patients. She listed the ones she heard most frequently, and from that list and her experiences she wrote a book, “The Top Five Regrets of the Dying.” Here are a couple of them.

The most frequent regret she heard was: I wish I had had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others wanted for me. In other words, I wish I had listened to my heart and followed my own dreams rather than trying to meet the expectations of others.

Number two was: I wish I hadn’t worked so hard. Every male patient who expressed regret said this. They were saying I wish I had spent more time with the people I love.

As I reflected on the most common regrets people have as they near the end of life, what strikes me is that all of them,at the base, have to do with relationships. Jesus told us that what is most important is our relationship with God, with others, and with ourselves. We call this the Great Commandment.

In contrast with those who ended up with a life of regrets, listen to the Apostle Paul. He says, “The time of my death is near. I have fought the good fight (that is, I’ve given my life to what matters), I have finished the race (my life is ending), I have remained faithful.” No regrets!

It’s not too late for you and me to turn our regrets into resolutions.

I Resolve: to live an authentic life, not one someone else wants for me but one true to who I really am.

I Resolve: to put relationships first: my relationship with my Creator and my Savior, with central people in my life, and to engage everyone with kindness and helpfulness. So there are no regrets!

Prayer:

O Holy One, I have this one life to live. Help me not to waste it, but to make your priorities mine, and finish my race with faithfulness. Amen.

This devotional was written and read by Herb Sadler.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

If you missed any of those episodes, you might want to consider listening to them today. And even if you heard them all, there may be one that you might want to listen to again. We hope that each of these scriptures and podcasts will bring you a full measure of joy, peace, and love.

Now, let's listen to the scriptures that have been on our hearts this week.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

Did you catch that!? God prepared good works for us to do, even before he created us! He designed us to complete the work he had already prepared for us!

God is love. His design for us is to do good works of love on his behalf!

He backed up the plan by sending Jesus to tell us, to remind us that our job, our greatest commandment, our business, is to LOVE God and to love our neighbors, our fellowman, as we love ourselves. That is the most important job on earth!

And who is our neighbor?

To paraphrase Marley’s ghost from the tale A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, “Mankind is our business. The common welfare is our business. Charity, mercy, forbearance, benevolence, and love are all our business.”

And who is our neighbor?

Mankind is our neighbor; humans on earth are our neighbors.

These operating instructions are explicitly clear! God assigned us to LOVE him and to LOVE our neighbors!

I don’t know about you, but I know I fail to LOVE from time to time. I’m sure of it! So, this year, I resolve to keep LOVE at the top of my To Do List every day and to remember my assignment, my God-given purpose, every single day.

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE…Let’s pray together now…

Dear God, please forgive me where I have failed in my assignment and help me to LOVE more and to do good works in your name continually. Help me to forgive as I wish to be forgiven and to recenter myself in your LOVE over and over throughout my day. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen!

This devotional was written and read by Bernice Howard.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.

In John 15, Jesus shares his relationship with God and teaches how to have a relationship that brings full joy through our true vine and connection with God.

God loves us—always. God loves us when we sin. God loves us when we love. But we hate when we sin. And we love when we love.

Love can fill our hearts, but somehow we seem to struggle to allow this. Somehow, we see the world, and we want to take instead of give. Somehow, we seem to think that we will lack. We fear scarcity. We fear loss. We fear not having enough, not being enough.

Share love. You have been given everything—so give. No greater, more complete joy exists than to love others, and yet so often we do not. We blame instead of trust. Blame seems to give people the idea that it justifies their choice of behavior that follows. Instead, open your heart, let it fill with love, and let it flow.

God so loved the world that he gave his son to be sacrificed. Jesus so loved God that he submitted to his will and plan. In the garden, Jesus says, “take this cup from me,” yet he follows with “your will not mine.” He does not say, “This is a fine mess you’ve gotten me into.” He does not attack those who arrest him. He does not blame Judas. In fact, he loves and blesses him. How can that be? Well, because he is connected to the true vine and source of all love. His joy is full, and God so loves him that it is enough. He does not fear. He trusts and loves God. He submits to a plan that will end his human existence, but it keeps him connected to his source of joy.

Never let us forget that with the birth of Jesus, we have been shown and told that full joy can be ours if only we trust in God and allow our hearts to be filled with joy. Be joyful. Be loving. Look at all that we have been given, thank God for it, and share it with all you encounter. This is the greatest gift and the greatest joy the world has ever known.

As we pray today, let us know that the love of God fills our hearts if we allow it.

As the old hymn teaches us:

Always giving and forgiving,

Ever blessing, ever blest,

Wellspring of the joy of living,

Ocean-depth of happy rest!

Loving Father, Christ our Brother,

Let Your light upon us shine;

Teach us how to love each other,

Lift us to the joy divine.

God, please help me to empty all but your love from my heart, my words, and my deeds. Teach me to let go of everything in me that is not your love, and may I be full of your joy, Amen.

This devotional was written by Jill Pope and read by Susan Daves.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

Then Moses called Joshua and, with all Israel watching, said to him: “Be strong and fearless because you are the one who will lead this people to the land the Lord swore to their ancestors to give to them; you are the one who will divide up the land for them. But the Lord is the one who is marching before you! He is the one who will be with you! He won’t let you down. He won’t abandon you. So don’t be afraid or scared!"

Let’s set the scene. Moses has just spent hours speaking to the entire nation of Israel, going back and forth with promises and dire warnings, presenting a stark contrast between some really good things and some really bad things that will happen to them depending on choices they make. It is in this context that he delivered the famous line, “I have set life and death, blessing and curse before you. Now choose life—so that you and your descendants will live” (Deuteronomy 30:19).

Moses winds up saying, in essence, “But I’m 120 years old. I’m not going to live to see this. Joshua over here, he’s going to take over the leadership of this whole thing.”

He looks around a little vaguely, spots Joshua, says, “Joshua! Just the guy I was talking about. Come on up here, son.”

Joshua looks a little sheepish, mounts the steps to the platform. Moses faces Joshua, looking him straight in the eye, grasps his shoulders, and delivers the lines we read at the beginning of this devotional.

Joshua looks around. There are people on every square foot of land as far as he can see, maybe as many as two million people, and the man who led their ancestors out of Egypt, who has gone before them for 40 years, who has talked with God himself, has just told all of them that he, Joshua, is going to lead them into the land God has promised.

And, he says, don’t be afraid or scared.

And, strangely, when Joshua looks back at Moses, his heart becomes calm. Because he has heard, to the depth of his soul, Moses words: “But the Lord is the one who is marching before you! He is the one who will be with you! He won’t let you down. He won’t abandon you.”

Do you, too, hear that promise, really hear it?

Prayer:

Father, your presence banishes our fear when we really take it to heart. Keep giving us that message so that we can rid our hearts of trouble. In the name of the Christ who came and lived as one of us to know our challenges and our fears, Amen.

This devotion was written and read by Donn King.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

Don’t fear, because I am with you;

don’t be afraid, for I am your God.

I will strengthen you,

I will surely help you;

I will hold you with my righteous strong hand.

I recall a story I heard a pastor tell. His granddaughter and another girl got into a lively game of comparison. One would say what they could do and then the other would come back with something even better. Finally his granddaughter said, “I can walk fifty-nine miles.” The other girl said, “You can’t!” His granddaughter then said, I can take my grandpa’s hand and keep up with him and he can walk fifty-nine miles so I can walk fifty-nine miles if I hold his hand.”

The pastor went on to say, “Though my granddaughter might be wrong as to how far I can walk, she is not completely wrong, for when she holds my hand she can do things which otherwise she could not do.”

That story has stayed with me for many years and it, along with Isaiah 41:10’s promises have been a source of strength and hope when times are difficult. In Isaiah we are reminded that God is with us, strengthening us and helping us. Then the great promise, “God is holding us with God’s righteous strong hand”, or I would say, “Wen I place my hand in God’s strong hand I will not be afraid. “ Many has been the time when I am in difficult times that I have thought, “How am I going to manage?” I fear and wonder, “Can I do it? Am I strong enough?” Then I pause and reach out mentally seeking for that righteous strong hand and my fears subside for I know God is with me. With God I can do so much more than I believed possible because I am holding on tight to that powerful hand.

As an example: I was asked to teach at a conference. Never before had I been in front of so large a group. There were many sitting there with as much and likely more knowledge on the subject than I had. I was afraid of looking foolish. I considered not doing it but I knew that I would let a lot of people down. So I studied and worried. The night before the event was to start I lay awake far into the night filled with dread concerning the day to come. Then I remembered this verse telling me not to fear for God was with me. A peace came over me. I recalled the study I had done, the passion I felt for the topic, and the realization that God was with me. I went to sleep and slept soundly and the next day I gave my presentation calmly and with joy. I did more than I thought I could do because I was holding onto God’s righteous hand.

So are you facing a difficult choice? Are you facing an uncertain tomorrow because of your health or the health of a loved one? Are there situations that weigh on your heart? Remember, you are not in this alone. Reach out and take ahold of God’s righteous hand and do not fear. You will find that you can do much more than you thought possible and that you can face these situations with love and grace.

Let us pray:

Loving God, when we are filled with doubt or fear remind us that you are there, holding us and helping us. May we always place our ives in your hands and find love and peace, AMEN.

This devotional was written by Bill Green and read by Donn King.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Paul’s message to the Romans is quite clear. It can not get any clearer than that! God gave us commandments to help us avoid sin and then live a productive life.

1. Thou shall have no other Gods before me.
2. Thou shall not make any graven image.
3. Thou shall not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.
4. Remember the sabbath day and keep it holy.
5. Honor thy mother and father.
6. Thou shall not kill.
7. Thou shall not steal.
8. Thou shall not commit adultery.
9. Thou shall not bear false witness against thy neighbor.
10. Thou shall not covet.

Then Jesus added another in John 15:12

1. “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.”

If we can do those things, we can avoid sin and death and have eternal life by walking the walk with Jesus.

This world is a difficult place, and the temptations are many. To endure requires a relationship with God, asking for the Holy Spirit to enter your life to guide you. That happens by having a prayer life, regular worship at church, while seeking the support and fellowship of your Christian brothers and sisters.

It takes determination and perseverance to live the life that Christ would have us live.

Jesus also tells us in Matthew 7: 13 & 14

“Enter by the narrow gate for wide is the path that leads to destruction.”

This also echoes the message of this devotion:

For the wages of sin is death.

Don’t fall into the traps or get caught in the snares of this world! Set your sights high and take action that reflects your Christian light upon others, because Jesus tells us in John 18:36, “My kingdom is not of this world.” Let’s take the brave action to join Jesus.

Let us pray:

God in heaven, watch over us, protect us and guide us to live a life that avoids sin so that we may serve you and one day hear your words, “Welcome good and faithful servant!” Amen.

This devotion was written and recorded by Sam Barto.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

Lord, you have examined me. You know me. You know when I sit down and when I stand up. Even from far away, you comprehend my plans. You study my traveling and resting. You are thoroughly familiar with all my ways. There isn’t a word on my tongue, Lord, that you don’t already know completely. You surround me—front and back. You put your hand on me. That kind of knowledge is too much for me; it’s so high above me that I can’t reach it.

God is with us. What an awesome truth!

When we are facing hard decisions, God is with us. When we are waiting with dread for a diagnosis, God is with us. When a friend has let us down, God is with us. When it seems like the world is falling down around us, God is with us.

When we experience small victories, God is with us. When a child is born, God is with us. When we see a glorious sunset, God is with us. When we gather for worship, God is with us.

But also…

When we are ungracious to a server, God is with us. When we are consumed with envy, God is with us. When we speak ill of a neighbor, God is with us. When we fail to keep a promise, God is with us.

It’s comforting to know of God’s presence when we are in despair or trouble and need God; or when we celebrate the great moments. But let’s not forget that God is also with us when we are at our worst. The times when we would just as soon that God look the other way or turn a deaf ear.

If we stop and acknowledge God’s presence with us ALL the time, what a difference it could make in how we respond in EVERY situation. Good or bad.

God is with us. Let us never forget.

Prayer:

Father God, we thank you that we can count on your presence with us in good times and bad. Let the knowledge of your presence be the guide for all of our thoughts, our words, and our actions in every circumstance. Amen.

This devotional was written and read by Charlie Barton.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

This is Scripture Saturday, a time when we pause and reflect on the scriptures we have read throughout the week. If you missed any of our devotionals on these passages, you can find them on our website at 1stChurch.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

Now, we invite you to listen and receive Grace. Welcome and thank you for joining us.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

For once you were in darkness, but now in the Lord you are light. Live as children of the light.

Winter, and the shortest, darkest day of the year, began about a month ago with the Winter Solstice. We will not see much longer or lighter days, however, for another several weeks. This time of year is hard for me. I do not mind the cold, but the long, dark days of January and February zap my energy and dampen my spirit. I search for things that energize me and give me purpose to utilize my days wisely.

However, when Paul says in Ephesians that they – and we – are light and that we are to live as children of the light, he isn’t talking about bright, sunny days. He is writing about the light that comes from making Christ the center of our lives and following Jesus’ example of how to live. In other parts of this chapter, as well as in other letters in the New Testament, Paul admonishes the Ephesian followers of Christ to avoid sexual impurity, vulgar talk, and greed. And listening to and following those who are untruthful - in other words, to seek the will of the Lord and carry it out, to be imitators of God. We are to live in love, as Christ loved us.

Living this way in the first century in Ephesus was likely no easier than it is for us in 2026. Ephesus was a beautiful, vibrant city, populated with prosperous and powerful men as well as merchants, laborers, and slaves. Among ancient cities, it was considered an equal with Rome and Alexandria. Along with the wealth and Roman influence came many opportunities for what Paul calls “unclean living.” A new follower would find many temptations to lead him or her astray. And today we are bombarded by a 24-hour news cycle filled with pundits presenting very different opinions and versions of events. They cannot all be telling the truth. And then we are told that the American dream involves a certain car, house, possessions, and even a certain “appearance” we must present. And worst of all, many people have their own versions of what love is and who is worthy of it. We hear and see hate in their words and actions. None of this is Christ-like. It is in stark contrast to the clear message of Christ: love one another as we love ourselves. Care for the sick, the poor, the needy, the immigrant in our land. Our lives should demonstrate the way of love and light.

There are those who say it is not possible to live this way in the 21st century, that modern people have to compete, love those who can help them. Build wealth and power for themselves.

I know it is possible to live as a child of the light, but it involves hard choices and strength found only in the Holy Spirit. Here is a prayer for me and for you in 2026.

Heavenly Father, we praise you and thank you for all the good and beautiful things in our lives. We want to live as children of the light, but we are weak. May the Holy Spirit fill us with the courage and strength required to love others as ourselves and to seek and carry out your will in our homes, churches, communities, and the world. Amen.

This devotional was written and read by Pat Scruggs.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.

Psalm 19:1

The heavens declare the glory of God and the work of his hands.

I remember my school days with fondness. It was a small country school, and almost everyone knew one another. It was easy to make friends, and some of them remain so to this day. The challenge was to stay interested in learning, but most students had favorite subjects. I liked Plain Geometry, Chemistry, Art and Shop, but my all-time favorite was the Physical Science class. Our teacher talked mostly about the planets, stars, and related information.

I was all ears. I have never lost interest in all things space.

It is one subject that keeps scientists questioning everything they have learned as more sophisticated probes are launched into space. The Voyager 2 is more than 15 billion miles from Earth. It was launched in 1977 and is still sending information from interstellar space.

The James Webb Telescope was launched on Christmas Day 2021 and relays astonishing pictures of the Cosmos to media around the world. It is fascinating to learn about gravitational forces, black holes, solar wind, light-years, spacetime, extreme temperatures, and conditions on the surfaces of other planets.

Lately, scientists are questioning the Big Bang theory and asking, “Where is the edge of space and what lies beyond?“ The most interesting takeaway from this vast amount of information is how it relates to our small, beautiful, blue planet sitting in its perfect place in such a vast universe. The concept expands thinking and appeals to the spiritual. It is humbling and miraculous. It is our home.

Speaking as an artist, I find images of the universe are inspirational. I enjoy trying to create paintings that reflect color, shapes, and imaginary places in space. The psalmist describes it best: “The heavens declare the glory of God and the work of his hands” (Psalm 19:1).

Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank you for the miracle of your creation.

Thank you for our world, and may we have the wisdom to revere and protect it. Thank you for the distant universe and all its mysteries.

Thank you for your word and your love.

Amen.

This devotional was written by Steve Hankal and read by Jim Stovall.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Have you ever gotten up in the morning and wondered, "What's going to happen today?" Of course you have. We all have. We think about the meetings on our calendar, the errands we need to run, and the people we're going to see. We wonder if the day will bring good news or bad, whether things will go smoothly or fall apart.

But here's another question. Have you ever gotten up in the morning and asked yourself, "I wonder what good works God has in store for me to do today?" I confess that I think that thought much less often. It's not usually at the top of my mind when I'm pouring my first cup of coffee.

Yet that is exactly what this verse is telling us. God has prepared good works for us to do. They're already out there, waiting for us. Our job is simply to walk in them, to show up and be available for whatever opportunities God puts in our path.

The word "workmanship" is a beautiful one. It suggests that God is constantly shaping us, refining us, and making us into something useful and good. We are not finished products sitting on a shelf. We are works in progress, and the work that God is doing on us is connected to the work he wants to do through us. He gives us opportunities every day to be the hands and feet of Christ, to make a positive difference in the lives of others and in our own lives as well.

This is what new life in Christ looks like. It begins today, this very minute. What good works might you do? What kind words might you speak? Where can you help, show love, and extend kindness to someone who needs it? These are not grand assignments reserved for spiritual giants. They are the ordinary, everyday moments where God works on us and through us at the same time.

Our Father, bless me today and make me a blessing to someone else. Open my eyes to see the good works you have prepared for me, and give me the courage and the love to walk in them. Amen.

This devotional was written and recorded by Jim Stovall.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

For you are all children of the Light and of the day; we don’t belong to darkness and night.

Reflecting on these words brings several things to mind. Notice that it says we are all children of the light. This is a reminder that we are called to shine God’s light in the world. We are His beloved children. We belong to Him. We are a product of His light. Whoa! There's real power in that statement. As His children, we should live a life, a life where we choose to have nothing to do with darkness.

We are to let God’s light shine through our thoughts and actions. Sometimes we find ourselves in difficult situations. For me, I find darkness and light struggling against each other in my thoughts. The hurt, disturbed, or angered side of me taunts me with negativity and usually some idea of fighting back or at least sharing my darkness. Quickly, though, I remember who I am and more importantly, “whose I am.” It may take courage and most definitely requires grace, but the darkness is pushed away, and the light shines. The beauty of God’s love and mercy brings me back to my mission as a follower of Christ, as a beloved child of God. That mission is to be a beacon of light. We must be awake, aware, think through our plans, and live alertly and with purpose.

Reading this scripture in the Message makes our choices clear.

But friends, you’re not in the dark, so how could you be taken off guard by any of this? You’re sons of the Light, daughters of the Day. We live under wide open skies and know where we stand. So, let’s not sleepwalk through life like those others. Let’s keep our eyes open and be smart. Walk out into the daylight – dressed up in faith, love, and the hope of salvation.

Clearly, our lives of faith call us to reflect God’s light and hope to a dark and sometimes dreary world. Our light will be visible to others so that hope, love, and faith will be shared.

Remember to shine your light today and every day. We belong to “the Light.” Thanks be to God.

Let’s pray together.

Gracious God, we pray that we have the grace and strength to shine our light boldly for others to see. May our light allow others to be drawn to life, a new life, where we live out your will and your call on our hearts. Drive our dark thoughts out and fill us with light and hope as your precious children. We humbly pray these things in the name of your son, Jesus Christ. Amen.

This devotion was written and read by Lisa Blackwood.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

So we aren’t depressed. But even if our bodies are breaking down on the outside, the person that we are on the inside is being renewed every day. Our temporary minor problems are producing an eternal stockpile of glory for us that is beyond all comparison. We don’t focus on the things that can be seen but on the things that cannot be seen. The things that can be seen don’t last, but the things that can’t be seen are eternal.

When Paul wrote these words, probably around 56 AD, he was in Macedonia on his third missionary journey with Timothy. The words above suggest he was dealing with difficult issues within the newly formed Corinthian congregation. He emphasizes the vast space between eternal and temporal problems.

I have pondered these words many times over the years. What are the ‘things that can’t be seen’? And why are they eternal?

I am reminded of a children’s book I read to our son and daughter when they were growing up. The book, by Shel Silverstein, named The Giving Tree, published in 1964, was a bestseller and is still in publication.

In the story, a boy and an apple tree are friends. The boy climbs up the tree, plays ‘king of the forest,’ swings from her branches, eats her apples, and sleeps in her shade. The boy loves the tree, and the tree is happy. But as the boy grows older, he spends more and more time away from the tree. When he does come to visit, he tells the tree he needs money, and the tree offers her apples. He takes the apples to sell, and the tree is happy. A long time later, the boy returns and tells the tree he needs a house. The tree offers her branches for lumber, and the boy cuts them and takes them away. And the tree is happy. After another long interval, the boy returns, a sad and aging man. He tells the tree he wants a boat to take him far away. The tree offers her trunk, and the boy cuts down the trunk to make a boat and sails away. And the tree is happy, but not really. Finally, the boy returns as an old man, and the tree, now a stump, has nothing to give him. But all he desires is a place to rest. And the tree offers her stump as a place of rest. The boy sits. And the tree is happy.

This story is a parable that has been interpreted in many ways. But it can be seen as symbolizing the relationship between God and humans. The boy’s body, as he ages, is breaking down every day. The boy seems to value only ‘the things that can be seen’: money, a house, a boat. But as he ages, he realizes that the things that can be seen are temporary. The things that can’t be seen—the eternal love that the tree holds for him— draws him back again and again. When he returns as an old man, he is seeking a place of rest and relationship. The tree, like God, is happy.

I live in a senior independent living community. All of us recognize that ‘our bodies are breaking down on the outside.’ The things that matter in our lives—love for friends, family, and our neighbors wherever they are—can’t be seen, but they are building up a stockpile of glory because they have eternal consequences. The kindness we show today can transform the life of a fellow human in ways we will never recognize, in ways that may even be eternal. Like the tree stump for the tired old man, we can still show love at this stage of life.

Let us pray: Dear Lord, thank you for the gift of your sacrificial love. Thank you for welcoming us back again and again when we realize that material things do not bring happiness. Thank you for connecting us with the love that cannot always be seen but always transforms. Amen.

This devotion was written by Laura Derr and read by Judy Wilson.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

My grandfather used to say with a straight face that he owned one of Abraham Lincoln's axes. "It's had eight handles and six heads since he owned it," he'd say, "but it's still his."

I laughed at that when I was a kid, but now it sounds to me like something a bunch of philosophers might sit around a table and argue about: "If every part of a thing has been replaced, is it the same thing?" As it happens, there is a big table and a big bunch of philosophers, and they're still arguing. It's known as "The Ship of Theseus Paradox."

Theseus was a legendary Greek hero who saved Athens by slaying the minotaur. The Athenians preserved his ship in their harbor as a tribute. Over the years, as planks rotted, they replaced them with new wood. Eventually, every original plank had been swapped out. Is it still the same ship?

Is my grandfather's axe still one of Abraham Lincoln's?

It's a great question, and philosophers are still arguing about it.

Paul's words to the Corinthians would fit right in at that table full of arguing philosophers. If anyone is in Christ, he's a new creation - the old has passed away, the new has come. But that raises the same puzzle: If I'm a new creation, am I still me? If everything old has passed away, what am I then?

Here's what I know. The person I was twenty years ago—the habits and fears that once shaped me have been replaced, and probably will be replaced again. God's been replacing my rotted planks: bitterness for forgiveness, shame for acceptance, anxiety for trust. When I look back over the years, I can see it: I'm being rebuilt.

This is what Paul means when he says we become new creations in Christ. The moment we put our faith in him, something instantly changes. Our relationship with God is restored, and we're adopted into his family. But it's also the start of a lifetime of God rebuilding us to be more like Christ. We're not the same people we were, yet we're still ourselves. We become both new and more truly who God created us to be all along.

The Church itself has been under the same kind of reconstruction for two thousand years. Members who sat in these pews decades ago have gone home to be with the Lord. New believers have joined. Children have grown up and brought their own children. The "planks" of the Body are constantly being replaced.

Yet it's still the Church. The same Body that gathered in upper rooms and sang in catacombs. What makes it the same isn't the individual members—it's the Spirit dwelling in us, the mission we carry forward, the grace that flows through us.

So when you wonder if you're still you after all God has done in your life, the answer is yes. And when you wonder if the Church can really be the same after all these centuries, the answer is also yes.

Because our identity isn't found in the planks or the handles, it's found in the Builder.

Father, thank you for your patient work of rebuilding us, plank by plank, into new creations while keeping us wholly ourselves. Help us trust the process of transformation, both in our individual lives and in the life of your Church. Amen.

This devotional was written and read by Cliff McCartney.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

If you missed any of those episodes, you might want to consider listening to them today. And even if you heard them all, there may be one that you might want to listen to again. We hope that each of these scriptures and podcasts will bring you a full measure of joy, peace, and love.

Now, let's listen to the scriptures that have been on our hearts this week.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

Jesus answered him, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.”

The confusion Nicodemus expresses about being born again captures the human condition well. We think we know how the world works, but the teachings of Jesus tend to show us that we don’t. Over and over in the gospel, we are shown that humans can’t see. We can’t find the eye of the needle even though the path has been straightened. We can’t understand how to share the loaves when so much need is before us. We can’t muster the faith to walk on water without sinking in our own doubt and fear. We can’t hear the cock crowing every time we hide from the light. In John chapter 3, Nicodemus has sought out Jesus and proclaimed that he is a great teacher from God, and yet when Jesus tells Nicodemus that in order to see the kingdom he must be born from above, Nicodemus does not see. In fact, he asks, “How can this be?”

So, how does one see the kingdom? How is one born from above?

We are all born from our mother, but each new day of our lives, we wake. Each morning, we open our eyes for the first time. Like the sun that rises each day but isn’t really rising, we open our eyes, and we either see the world that our mother bore us into or we see the world that the teaching of Jesus has revealed to us. We either see a world of water, or we see the world of the Spirit. We either live in a world where we think the sun is rising into our view, providing us light, or we live in a world where we are rising to the Son of Man’s view and sharing his light.

To make it even more challenging in verse 8, Jesus goes on to tell us: “The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” For years, I have found that statement to be one of the most intimidating sentences in all of scripture. I know that it is God’s will not mine in any action I take, but reading that the wind blows wherever it pleases is a metaphor that makes it all too real. Trying to capture or control the wind that blows around us might almost seem manageable, as is our arrogant human way, but what if there is no wind or worse yet if we build walls that block it?

When we look to the kingdom of God, we see the creation of God. When we see all that God has created, we should be humbled and feel awe.

May I wake each day and pray that I renew my efforts to be led by the Spirit. Each day, may I confess my shortcomings, knowing that I am forgiven before, during, and after my transgressions. May I always look for the kingdom of God. May the Spirit allow me to seek the eye of the needle. When I break the bread, may I share it? Help me step into the puddles with hope. May I look to the light. At each moment, I hope to feel the gentle touch of the breath of the Spirit. As I turn my head toward the world and I open the door, I pray that I have the faith to keep looking.

Let us pray.

Father, let us see the light that You shine on our path. May we not look in the wrong direction. May we not hide from the grace and love that is there every day before us. May we seek to bring the children of God from water into Spirit. May our breath be as gentle as the Spirit. May our strength be the strength of Christ. May our eyes see the work of the kingdom, and may we share it with all whom we encounter. Amen.

This devotional was written by Jill Pope and read by Susan Daves.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come. The old has gone, the new is here!

Happy New Year!

The new is here!

Tradition is to make a New Year’s Resolution and to keep it! On January 1, 2008, I made a New Year's resolution to never consume alcohol again. And today, I am celebrating 18 years of keeping that resolution! I think God is celebrating with me today!

God loves to celebrate our growth and achievements with us. We are important to Him. He loves us very, very much! We who confess Christ as our Savior and Lord are to emulate Him, to live as he lived, loving ALL our earthly neighbors as we love ourselves. But how can we love ourselves when we feel so inadequate, so unworthy? How can we love ourselves when we don’t even like ourselves sometimes?

The first step in loving ourselves is to see ourselves as God sees us, as human beings created in the image of God; the image of LOVE! We are a new creation in Christ. If we aren’t living in LOVE, if we don’t think we deserve love, we need to sit down and talk to God about that. God loves us! We need to learn to LOVE ourselves. He made us in his image.

If earthly hurts, habits, and hangups make us feel unlovable, then we have to make the necessary changes to grow in the likeness of Jesus. The eight recovery principles from Celebrate Recovery offer a tool to help us make the changes we need. These principles help us to overcome old Hurts, to break bad Habits, and to let go of our old Hangups. If you need some help with this work, visit a Celebrate Recovery meeting sometime, and you will find many people just like you, who are working daily on old hurts, bad habits, and hangups. The ones they need to let go.

Daily prayer, Bible reading, and quiet time with God are required to overcome those hurts, habits, and hangups. Make a New Year’s Resolution to begin a God Diet!

And here is a good schedule to use for your new 2026 God Diet…

1. Start your day with this podcast and read the Bible.

2. Spend some time in prayer before you jump on social media or go to school or work.

3. Pray and center yourself in God, asking for his help as you go through your day.

I can vouch for this schedule, because I’ve been using it for the last 18 years. Well, except for the podcast, which is only two years old and was added then. If we spend time with God each morning, before the world leads us into the fray, we will find it easier to turn to him as trouble, worries, or bad news find us. If we truly embrace Jesus Christ each morning, we will be amazed at how much the old habits, hurts, and hangups will fade away, and we move closer to God’s goodness.

As our verse for today says, “The old has gone,” and the new life centered in Christ is here!

Dear Lord Jesus...

I believe in you, and I need your help to keep my LOVE for God and my neighbors as the center of my life! Help me to share my life with You, by centering myself in Your LOVE each day. And help me to share that LOVE with my neighbors (all of them) every day! Thank you, Lord, AMEN.

This devotional was written and read by Bernice Howard.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

In the Temple when Simeon held the Christ Child 8 days after his birth he gave this prophecy to Mary and Joseph, “Sovereign Lord…I have seen your salvation, which you have prepared for all people. He is a light to reveal God to the nations, and he is the glory of your people Israel!”

As the Christmas season neared, the gift shop in the hospital where I worked at the time displayed three lovely little porcelain angels. These were unlike most Christmas angels. Each, about 6 inches high were dressed in a bulky coat and cap. One held a loaf of bread, one a Christmas tree, and the third held a lighted candle. They captured my heart, but were considerably outside my pocket book. Each day I would go by the gift shop and look in at these angels always fearful that someone would have purchased them. Then about a week before Christmas, the gift shop had a 50% off sale on all Christmas items. I hurried into the shop and to my joy what I had become to think of as my angels were still there and I bought them. I knew exactly where I would display them.

That evening when I got home I had several things to carry in – including my precious angels. As I placed the items on my kitchen counter, the package holding the angels slipped from my hand and hit our tile floor with a shattering sound. All were broken. I felt heartbroken as well. I gathered all the pieces, sorted them and over the next few days did my best to glue them together. When I was done I looked at these poor broken angels and loved them even more.

Since that incident over thirty plus years ago, I have left my three broken Christmas angels on display year round as a reminder that it is through our broken places that the love of Christ can most easily shine in. Over time I have also discovered that it is through our broken places – those places that Christ has lovingly mended – that we can most often become angels for others who are broken.

This was reinforced most recently when I saw a verse written by Leonard Cohen, a Canadian song writer, singer, and poet. He said, “There is a crack in everything, and that is where the light comes in.”

Where we are cracked, the light of Christ shines in. And where we are cracked the light and the love of Christ can shine back out to all we meet.

Dear God, help me to always be grateful for the cracks that have occurred in my life. Help me to accept your loving hand in mending me, and help me have the courage to shine your light back out through my cracks to others. In the loving name of Jesus the Christ, Amen.

This devotional was written and read by Barbara Sadler.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

At the beginning of this year, my star word was Apply. I’ll be honest—it didn’t feel inspiring at first. It sounded plain, almost unfinished. Others drew words like Joy, Peace, or Abide—gentle, lyrical words that seemed to sparkle with promise. Mine felt like a to-do list.

But over time, I began to understand: God wasn’t asking me to find something new. He was asking me to live what I already knew. He was inviting me to practice what I’d spent years studying—to take His Word from the pages of my Bible and let it shape the rhythm of my life.

When Paul wrote to the Ephesians, he described what a Spirit-filled life looks like. It isn’t about lofty theology; it’s about a faith that moves. Each phrase is practical. It’s about how we treat people, how we worship, and how we choose gratitude. It’s the art of applying what we believe.

I began to notice that when I sent a note of encouragement or prayed for someone in my Bible study group, I wasn’t just offering kindness—I was applying Scripture through my words. When I found myself humming a hymn while folding laundry, I was applying worship to ordinary moments. And when life felt heavy, but I chose to whisper, ‘Thank You, Lord,’ I was applying gratitude, transforming weariness into worship.

Paul closes this short passage by reminding us to do all things “in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” That phrase carries weight—it means that everything I say or do bears His signature.

To apply something “in His name” is to ask: Would this reflect the heart of Jesus? It’s a question that transforms our choices, tones, and attitudes. It takes the Gospel out of the sanctuary and plants it right in the kitchen, the carpool, the grocery line, the inbox.

Now, in these final weeks of the year, I can see what God was teaching me through that one small word. Apply isn’t flashy—it’s faithful. It’s about taking what’s true and making it visible.

It’s about translating faith into daily motion—through our words, our worship, and our gratitude. Application is where transformation takes root. It’s the quiet work of obedience that turns belief into a lifestyle of praise.

Let’s pray:

Lord, thank You for reminding me that Your Word is meant to be lived, not just learned. Teach me to speak encouragement, to carry a song in my heart, and to give thanks in all things. Let my life be evidence of what I’ve applied—a melody of gratitude played in Your name. Amen.

This devotion was written by Marcia Prill and read by Judy Wilson.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.

Why the shepherds?

It is a question that biblical scholars have pondered for ages. The shepherds, keeping watch over their flocks nearby, were God’s chosen first to receive the good news of the birth of Christ. Why? Some have suggested that this was a symbolic act, that the shepherds who tended these sheep near Jerusalem were in the position of selecting the perfect lambs to be offered as an atonement sacrifice at the Temple. They argue it is only fitting that these shepherds be the first to recognize God’s perfect lamb, the Christ, whose sacrifice would redeem humanity.

Others point to the humble position of the shepherds and how it mirrors Jesus’ humble earthly beginning. Jesus was born to a poor teen mother forced to give birth in a stable, then wrapped in rags and laid in a manger. These writers suggest it is clear from the beginning that Jesus came to establish a new world order—the first shall be last, and the last shall be first. In choosing the shepherds, God emphasizes that the gospel message is foremost for those who have been forgotten and marginalized by society.

There may be truth in both interpretations, but I think there is another likely and very simple answer to the question, “Why the shepherds?” I think God chose the shepherds because they would go to see Jesus. Visiting angels aside, would those who were safe and comfortable in their own homes have been as likely to abandon such security in search of a poor newborn lying in a barn in the middle of the night?

I think God chose the shepherds because they were ready and willing to receive the gospel. Those who are most in need of good news are usually the ones most likely to hear it and respond. Those most hungry for hope tend to be the ones with the openness and willingness to receive and share it.

How is your heart this season? Are you hungry for hope? Are you longing for good news? Then keep watch. Be alert for God’s invitation to come and see the Christ child. I believe with all my heart that God has a message of great joy for you and all people.

Let us pray:

Gracious God, your world is still in need of peace. Your people are still in need of hope. Lead our hearts faithfully toward the Christ child this season and always, that we may receive the good news with joy and share it generously, far and wide. In His name we pray, amen.

Today’s devotional was written and read by Greta Smith.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem...

And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

Have you ever received a gift that was a complete surprise? Maybe it was something you had hoped for but never expected to receive. Maybe it was something you were expecting but it came from a different person in an unexpected way. Or perhaps it was something you never knew about until it arrived, but it turned out to be wonderful.

More than 2,000 years ago, the world received a gift that many did not expect and that countless others missed completely. A baby was born in an obscure village, in a place unknown to most of the world. Not in a palace, not with royal fanfare, but in a humble manger. The Creator of the universe chose to enter His creation through the back door of history.

I sometimes wonder about the choir of angels that sang to the shepherds on that hillside on the night of Christ's birth. Were the shepherds truly the only ones who heard and responded to that glorious chorus? Did others in and around Bethlehem hear the noise and simply turn over and go back to sleep? Were there people who should have known but simply missed it because they weren't paying attention?

The birth of Jesus is no longer a surprise to us today. Yet it remains the perfect symbol of how God often deals with His people. Throughout the Scriptures, we find again and again that God's gifts come as surprises. They are not what we expect. They do not arrive in the way we anticipate. They are often not even things we have thought to ask for. Like the manger-bed of Jesus, God's greatest gifts often come wrapped in the most humble packaging.

Let us pray:

Our Father, as we celebrate this Christmas, help us remain open to the surprise gifts You have in store for each of us. Let us remember that the greatest gift of all, the birth of Jesus Christ, came as a surprise to the world. Help us not miss that gift or the many other gifts You give to us. Keep our hearts alert and our spirits sensitive to Your presence, even in unexpected places. Amen.

This devotional was written by Jim Stovall and read by Sage Jonas.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

This is Scripture Saturday, a time when we pause and reflect on the scriptures we have read throughout the week. If you missed any of our devotionals on these passages, you can find them on our website at 1stChurch.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

Now, we invite you to listen and receive Grace. Welcome and thank you for joining us.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

But now, God’s Message, the God who made you in the first place, Jacob, the One who got you started, Israel: “Don’t be afraid, I’ve redeemed you. I’ve called your name. You’re mine. When you’re in over your head, I’ll be there with you. When you’re in rough waters, you will not go down. When you’re between a rock and a hard place, it won’t be a dead end—Because I am God, your personal God, The Holy of Israel, your Savior. I paid a huge price for you: all of Egypt, with rich Cush and Seba thrown in! That’s how much you mean to me! That’s how much I love you!

When I was a child, I loved the Christmas season. To me it was not just special on Christmas day, but it really was about the season. You see, my father’s job frequently required him to be gone on Christmas day; I think he missed seven years in a row. So in our family we had Christmas on Christmas day and on either the day he returned or perhaps the day before he departed. Either way, our parents made sure that we knew how much they loved us during this season.

They also made sure we knew Christmas was not just about presents, but more importantly the gift of the Christ child coming into the world. As a child I knew my parents loved me and I heard God loved me too. It was not until later in life, that I began to really experience and understand how much God really loves me. That is why I like today’s scripture so much. I can envision God on His throne looking straight into my eyes and saying, “You are mine. No matter what you do, no matter what you are struggling with, no matter what your hang-ups are, I am with you. I am your God, your Savior, and I paid a huge price for you. That is how much you mean to me! That is how much I love you.” Now as a parent, I understand better than ever. No matter what happens with my children, I will always love them.

During this Christmas season, I pray the present you receive is to feel the presence and overwhelming love of God.

Will you pray with me: Father God, thank you for your love more than I certainly deserve and more than I can fully comprehend. I pray that those who do not fully know you would open their hearts to feel your presence and be able to experience the depth of your love for them. Amen.

Today’s devotion was written and recorded by Owen Ragland.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

Therefore, the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.

One of the most powerful and meaningful things anyone has ever done for me was sit with me in silence through my deepest grief. Sometimes there are no words powerful enough to speak comfort to the hurting. Sometimes presence is the greatest gift.

Being with those in pain is not easy. Our natural inclination is to move away from suffering, not towards it. But that is not God’s way. Throughout scripture, we find that where there is sorrow or anguish, God draws near. Where there is grief, there is grace.

God does not abandon God’s people. That is a promise. God’s intention to dwell with us is such an inherent part of God’s character, the prophet Isaiah reminds us, that we can call Christ Jesus by the name Immanuel, God with us.

The name Immanuel speaks comfort to me in this holy season, but it also challenges me. It reminds me that I am not alone, but also that no one should feel alone. As I ask God to keep perfecting me in love, as I seek to be more Christ-like, I am called to move closer to those who are suffering. I am called to enter into new spaces where people are in distress. I am challenged to be present with the ones who are most in need, just as God is.

God with us is a promise, but it is not a secret. It is meant to be shared, and there is no greater way to share God’s promise than to perform it, to embody it.

Let us pray:

Immanuel, God with us, during this busy season, may we not be so hurried that we forget to give the gift of our presence to those who need it most. Give us the courage to enter into the painful places, knowing that we will find you there. In Christ Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

This devotion was written and read by Greta Smith.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!”

John 14:27

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.

Recently, I again reflected on the fact that in the Gospels, Jesus’ life is bracketed by the word “Peace.” When the angels announced the good news of his birth to the shepherds, their song contained the hope of Peace for the world.

In the Gospel of John, Jesus, in one of the last conversations he had with his disciples, promises them the gift of peace.

Peace is a gift that we still need. Tonight, many of us will gather for worship. The high point of this evening is when the lights are turned off, and we pass the light of Christ from candle to candle.

For many years, as pastor, I had the privilege to not only start the light moving out through the congregation but to be able to watch people's faces illumined by candlelight as they sang. I was always touched to literally see Peace settle on people in that moment.

I saw a family where the main breadwinner had just lost their job. For just a moment, they weren’t worried about tomorrow. They were celebrating being together as a family, surrounded by church friends who loved and cared about them. I would look specifically for people whose loved ones had died recently, and this was their first Christmas alone. In almost every situation, there was that brief moment you could see that they shed the blanket of grief that weighed on their hearts and were filled with loving memories of the past. Those memories brought them joy and peace.

For some it was the first time I had seem them smile since the loss of their beloved. The gift of Peace, sung about by the angels and promised by Jesus, is real and available if we but open our hearts.

Peace, we all need it. The message of this night and the day to come is that into a world of darkness, light is dawning. In a world of hurt, love breaks forth. In a world of loss, new life is ours. Jesus asks us to let this message fill us and gives light and peace. And if we do this, our troubled hearts will find rest, and our fears will subside, just as Jesus promised.

Let us Pray:

O Lord, giver of Peace, on this Holy night, fill us with your presence. Help us to quiet our minds so that we may hear the angels sing “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace,” knowing their message was not just to shepherds but to us as well, AMEN.

This devotion was written by Bill Green and read by Cliff McCartney.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Our theme for the Grace for All Advent devotions is Hope, Joy, Peace, and Love. This verse in Paul’s letter to the Romans just about says it all. He concludes by reminding us that we have this hope, as well as joy and peace, because of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

Have you ever known a person who showed the strength and power of the Holy Spirit in all circumstances? I have had the privilege of knowing several, but my 98-year-old mother-in-law is to me the ultimate role model. She has lived through so much in those 98 years. She shared with me how much she missed her father while he served in the Pacific in World War II, as well as her fear that he would not return. She prayed without ceasing for his safety and return.

As a young woman, she desperately wanted to go to college and become a teacher, but she was unable to continue after one year due to family circumstances. So she set about working with children at every opportunity while raising her own two children.

She led Sunday school classes and Bible school classes, having a profound effect on hundreds of children, and she prayed for every one of them.

Later, she was chosen to be trained in the first class of Title I teacher assistants in Knoxville City Schools. She faithfully worked with the children in the poorest of schools in the city and shared hope with them as well as math lessons.

Then came the losses over a period of years: first her grandmother, who greatly influenced her in many ways, especially her faith, then her parents, her in-laws, her only brother, her husband over 60 years, and finally the most cruel loss of all – her beloved son. While these losses caused her pain and sadness, her faith never wavered. She still found joy and laughter with those who remained, especially her granddaughters, grandsons, and great-grandson. She knows without a doubt that she will see the loved ones who have gone ahead again someday.

Many people would become despondent, even bitter, about the experiences she had. But she had the power of the Holy Spirit to guide her in holding onto hope, joy, and peace, and, most of all, love. Her physical strength is failing now, but her spirit is not. As long as she has breath, she will depend on God to guide her, even into the next life. I thank God for her love and example of faith in my life and the lives of all who have known her.

Let us pray:

Heavenly Father, we thank you for the gift of the Holy Spirit, which allows us to experience hope, joy and peace in all circumstances. We thank you for your love and the strength and assurance it provides. We thank you for friends and loved ones who show us how to live out our faith and inspire us to be better followers of Christ in this world. Finally, we thank you for the gift of your Son, who came to this world at Christmas to shine a light in the darkness and give us the gift of salvation. Amen.

This devotion was written and read by Pat Scruggs.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

May the God of Hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

It is only a few days until Christmas, and many of us are working on last-minute preparations. Our plans for celebrating involve gifts, feasting, laughter, and joy. We will attend Christmas Eve worship services and joyous family gatherings. Christmas music will fill our ears and touch our hearts. Our church choirs will blend their voices and remind us of the Angels singing on the first Christmas and the listening shepherds tending their flocks.

All manner of happy festivity will fill our time, and we will feel happy and blessed.

But the news will continue to fill our eyes and ears with the worries of the world – wars and rumors of wars, political fighting, the loss of financial help or income for so many, joblessness, and homelessness suffered by millions of our neighbors.

We can tune all that out and carry on, or we can help. We can remember that we are the hands and feet of Jesus and ask ourselves, “What would Jesus do?” We can’t feed the whole world, but we can donate more to the blessing box, serve on Thursday nights at Welcome Table right here at our church, and donate more to local food banks. We can open our eyes and hearts to the needs all around us and make those in need more important than usual. We can sacrifice a few extravagances to give more to the needy, the sick, the lonely, the homeless.

We can let the sad news we see and hear pull upon our heartstrings and remind us of today’s scripture as we give generously of our time and money. And overflowing with hope for the needy, hope for the homeless, hope for those in great need, hope for peace of mind, we will be filled with that promised joy at Christmas and beyond.

Prayer:

Let’s pray together using the words from today’s scripture – “May the God of Hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” And as we overflow with hope, joy, and peace, help us Lord, to let ourselves overflow with generosity of time, hearts, and pockets, today and every day. Thank you, Jesus. Amen!

This devotional was written and read by Bernice Howard.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Have you ever noticed that when plants produce, they simultaneously produce a gift that is the food of others and the birth of the next generation of their species? Like these seeds, there is an infinite abundance in God’s love and God’s gifts to us that is incomprehensible. God has given us forgiveness and love before we even knew that we needed it. It is there for us, to catch us, when we fall. It is there for us to fill the emptiness when we thought we could do it alone. It is there for us when our wounds won’t heal on their own.

During this season of Advent, let us reflect that God took the Word and made it flesh so that we could see and experience God’s love. As we wait quietly this season in anticipation of the birth of baby Jesus, let us consider the love God shares that is ever-present. If we are to be children of God, then we should nourish our souls on the love that helps us, feeds us, heals us, and forgives us.

Love is such a big topic, and yet it is so small. In every moment of every day, God’s love is present. In every object and every act, God’s love for us is waiting. God’s love was waiting for us before the birth of Jesus. It was present and welcoming us in Jesus. It was in the shadow of the cross waiting for us. It waits for us to follow the path made straight and to follow the example that we have been given in Jesus. It is ever-present and in everything, every person, and every action. It always has been and always will be. God loves us whether we are sinning, confessing, or loving others.

So, be loved. And be loving. Like the seeds that give life through nourishing others and give birth to new plants, we can both be loved into new life and give love to nourish others at the same time. Let us all be amazed and awed at just how powerful this is!

Let us pray.

God in heaven, on earth, and in our hearts, may we be the seeds that grow to nourish others. May we be both born again in your spirit and love while also giving life, love, and nourishment to others so that they may live in your spirit and love, Amen.

This devotional was written by Jill Pope and read by Susan Daves.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

If you missed any of those episodes, you might want to consider listening to them today. And even if you heard them all, there may be one that you might want to listen to again. We hope that each of these scriptures and podcasts will bring you a full measure of joy, peace, and love.

Now, listen to the scriptures that have been on our hearts this week.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone.

There is a scene in Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” that I really love. Scrooge awakens on Christmas Day after having spent the night with those three spirits, and he flings open his window to let in a ray of brilliant sunlight. Before that he traveled through an awful lot of darkness – the guilt of his past, the isolation of his present, and the fear of his future. He realizes that it is Christmas morning, and he’s been given another chance. The darkness hasn’t consumed him; there is still time, and there is still hope.

In Isaiah’s writing, about 700 years before Jesus, he spoke to the people of Israel during a period of their greatest threat from the Assyrian Empire. The people were filled with fear, hopelessness, and questioning whether God had left them. They were walking in darkness - not just the absence of natural light, but the absence of hope, clarity, and peace, because they felt so lost and alone.

In the middle of all that, Isaiah made a promise: “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light.” He didn’t say “they will see,” he said “they have seen.” He speaks of this coming light with such confidence that it seems to have already occurred. But Isaiah knew that that is the nature of God’s promises. They are so confident, so dependable, we can speak of them as if they’ve already taken place.

Seven hundred years later, in the same general area that Isaiah prophesied about, a baby is born in Bethlehem. Matthew’s Gospel references this exact verse in describing Jesus’ ministry in Galilee. The light Isaiah spoke of wasn’t simply a desire for better conditions or for political freedom. The light was a person - Jesus.

John Wesley understood this is how God works - He calls it “prevenient grace”, which means the light that precedes us, preparing our hearts, working in our lives long before we’re aware of it. Long before we realize our need for light, God is shining light into our darkness. The Advent message is that while we were still walking in darkness, God brought the light.

Each Sunday in Advent, we light candles in our sanctuaries, and we watch the darkness slowly give way to light. This is a wonderful representation of what God did in human history and what He continues to do in each of our lives. We don’t produce the light, nor do we earn it. The light comes to us. It shines on us.

Are you walking through darkness this Advent season? Maybe it is the grief of losing someone dear, worry about the future, loneliness, or just the fatigue of living in a world that can feel cold and unforgiving at times. Isaiah’s promise is for you. The light has come. Not at some point in the future, not eventually… the light has already shone.

Christmas isn’t about us finding a way to leave the darkness behind. It’s about God coming into our darkness and bringing light with Him. Emmanuel, God is with us, including in the darkest of places.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, you are the light of the world who came into our darkness. Shine in our hearts today and help us trust that no darkness is too deep for your light to reach. Amen.

This devotional was written and read by Cliff McCartney.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 

The King James version might be more familiar to some.

For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life. 

This was probably the very first Bible verse I learned to memorize, which was in vacation Bible school. Did I understand what it said or meant? Probably not, but I could recite it to the pleasure of my mother and teacher. 

We do not have a son, only daughters. Regardless, I cannot imagine offering one as a sacrifice as Abraham was asked to do. Furthermore, from what we know, he was not hesitant in taking Isaac up the mountain to be sacrificed. i would imagine that Sarah Isaac’s mother had something to say about the situation. However, in Old Testament times, women had less say-so about such matters. 

During Jesus' earthly life, he seemed to be on a mission to carry out God’s will. Towards the end of his life, it almost seemed like a self-sacrifice or giving of himself for the atonement or substitution of his life for our sins. 

The verse says that whoever believes will not perish but have everlasting life. As a child, this was very difficult to comprehend. What does everlasting or eternal life look like? As adults, we know that eventually our earthly bodies will wear out, we will die and be buried or cremated, and ashes will be spread or deposited in the ground or an urn. However, for believers, our souls will reside in heaven. We don’t know what that existence looks like. I have read of several individuals who have had near-death experiences and said that it was a wonderful experience. 

Please pray with me.

Dear God, help us to understand what it means to believe in you. Help us to be a witness to others that they might also become believers in you and have the faith and hope for eternal life. Amen.

This devotional was written and read by Emmit Rawls.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life. 

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org. 

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

While he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion.

It started with four simple words: “Momma, I need help.”

Two weeks before that call, my husband Mark and I had driven to St. Louis to see our God-given grandchild and meet up with Robert, our son. He is forty-five, and he was planning a big move to Texas. As any parent would, we asked if he needed help. And as any grown man would, he said, “No, I can do this by myself.” We smiled and drove back to Tennessee, proud of his independence but with a mother’s quiet knowing in the back of my heart.

Then the phone rang. “I rented a U-Haul,” he said, “but I can’t tow the car. Could you drive it to Texas?” And just like that, our plans changed. That’s what love does — it shows up when the call comes, no matter the distance.

So I packed a bag, climbed into a little rental car, and began an 18-hour, 1200-mile journey. First stop, St. Peter's, to exchange the sporty little rental car for Robert’s well-worn SUV.  Then off to Texas. 

The road was long and sometimes frustrating — missed exits, heavy traffic, forgotten gas caps, lost credit cards, and a flight home that seemed like it might never leave the ground. But woven through every mile was God’s presence: in the small mercies, the safe arrivals, the unexpected help, and the quiet moments of grace.

And when I finally arrived at that Texas apartment complex, tired and sore but deeply grateful, I was reminded of the father in Jesus’ parable — the one who ran to meet his son while he was still a long way off. That father didn’t ask questions. He simply loved.

That’s what this journey taught me. Love isn’t measured by convenience or distance. It’s measured by willingness — the willingness to show up when someone calls, to go the extra mile, and to trust God with every step along the way.

I was reminded of the scriptures:

• Psalm 46:1 - “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” 
• Psalm 121:8 - “The Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.” 

Our prayer today:

Father,

Thank you for the gift of love — the kind that shows up, reaches out, and never gives up. Help me to love as You do, with patience and grace, even when the road is long, or the journey is hard. Teach me to listen for the cries of those who need me and to respond with courage and compassion. And Lord, remind me that no act of love is ever wasted when it’s done in Your name. Amen.

This devotion was written by Marcia Prill and read by Sally Stovall.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life. 

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org. 

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

Lord, you have examined me. You know me.

You know when I sit down and when I stand up. Even from far away, you comprehend my plans.

You study my traveling and resting. You are thoroughly familiar with all my ways.

There isn’t a word on my tongue, Lord,

that you don’t already know completely.

You surround me—front and back. You put your hand on me.

That kind of knowledge is too much for me; it’s so high above me that I can’t reach it. 

God is with us. What an awesome truth!

When we are facing hard decisions, God is with us. When we are waiting with dread for a diagnosis, God is with us. When a friend has let us down, God is with us. When it seems like the world is falling down around us, God is with us. 

When we experience small victories, God is with us. When a child is born, God is with us. When we see a glorious sunset, God is with us. When we gather for worship, God is with us.

But also…

When we are ungracious to a server, God is with us. When we are consumed with envy, God is with us. When we speak ill of a neighbor, God is with us. When we fail to keep a promise, God is with us.

It’s comforting to know of God’s presence when we are in despair or trouble and need God; or when we celebrate the great moments. But let’s not forget that God is also with us when we are at our worst. The times when we would just as soon that God look the other way or turn a deaf ear. 

If we stop and acknowledge God’s presence with us ALL the time, what a difference it could make in how we respond in EVERY situation. Good or bad.

God is with us. Let us never forget.

Prayer: 

Father God, we thank you that we can count on your presence with us in good times and bad. Let the knowledge of your presence be the guide for all of our thoughts, our words, and our actions in every circumstance. Amen.

This devotional was written by Charlie Barton and read by Jim Stovall.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life. 

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org. 

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.