Grace for All

Galatians 2:20  I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Repeatedly throughout my Christian walk, I have considered the question, “What does it mean to be crucified with Christ?” Surrender—of my life, of my will—is central to my understanding of what it means to be a Christ-follower. When I chose to follow Jesus, I decided to give myself to Jesus. Following Christ means living as Christ lived. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. The gospel calls me to give my body–to be crucified as it were–so that I might become the hands and feet of Christ in the world today. There is a poem attributed to St. Teresa of Avila, a 16th-century Carmelite nun. It was likely inspired by her life, whether or not it was written by her. I want to share it with you today. It is called Christ Has No Body. Christ Has No Body Christ has no body but yours, No hands, no feet on earth but yours, Yours are the eyes with which he looks Compassion on this world, Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good, Yours are the hands, with which he blesses all the world. Yours are the hands, yours are the feet, Yours are the eyes, you are his body. Christ has no body now but yours, No hands, no feet on earth but yours, Yours are the eyes with which he looks compassion on this world. Christ has no body now on earth but yours. Friends, the world needs the body of Christ now as much as it ever has. The question for us as Christ followers today and each day is this: how might we surrender ourselves in all of our encounters so that those we meet will see Christ in us? Let us pray: Lord Jesus, we rely on your grace to change us. Today and every day, may we offer up ourselves in living sacrifice, that we might become more and more like you. Help us see the world through your eyes of compassion, and bless the world, serving as your hands and feet. In your precious and holy name we pray, amen. This 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: [email protected]. 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 the Grace for All podcast. Our theme for this month is Let Go and Let God - A Season of Surrender. Normally, I would begin by sharing today’s verse of scripture and then a short devotion; however, I believe today’s format should be story first and then scripture because that is exactly how it happened. I will begin the story by saying the theme of Let Go and Let God - A Season of Surrender is both the worst title for this story….and the perfect title.  Surrender? Not a chance! I was an Air Force fighter pilot flying the most advanced fighter in the world and had just deployed into a combat zone for the first time. Our mission was to patrol and maintain a No-Fly Zone over Southern Iraq. The complexity increased as we were tasked to fly from three to six hours, and at any moment could be called on to respond to an air-to-air engagement or an air-to-ground engagement. To give us the maximum flexibility to destroy targets, we carried two different types of air-to-air missiles and a mixture of bombs. My wingman and I had arrived to the deployment base ten days after the rest of the squadron because his jet had broken in Spain and we had to get it fixed before we could continue. The result was that when we arrived, the other crews had already started flying combat missions. Instead of having a couple of days for preparation, we were scheduled to fly our first combat mission the day after we arrived, and I was leading it! That night, I spent hours mission planning and agonizingly going over every possible contingency. How will we manage the airspace? What is our tanker plan? What if one aircraft has an emergency and has to return? What if we have to intercept a low and slow aircraft or a high, fast aircraft? What if there are multiple groups or multiple targets on the ground? How do I manage fuel such that we can still handle an engagement right at the end of our vulnerability period? It seemed like there were hundreds of contingencies to think through and plan for. What if? What if? My brain was racing, and I knew I needed a timeout from the planning. I had previously made a decision to try and read through my Bible that year, and the scripture for that day came from Matthew chapter 6 verse 34, the same verse for today’s devotion. I set down my mission planning, picked up my Bible, and read these words. Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Having read the words, I opened my heart to prayer and said, “God, thank you for preparing these words for me right now. I needed them, and I surrender my worry to you. Once again, you reminded me that you are with me now and will be with me tomorrow. Amen. Then I closed my Bible and went to bed. 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: [email protected]. 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/.

John 12:24 Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. If a seed does not germinate, it bears no fruit. It has been formed to create, yet it does not fulfill that destiny. It is squandered. It wastes away, dried up and useless. What a loss! We also must realize that the majority of seeds in the history of creation have been planted by the wind, birds, and other animals. They have germinated and gone on to create the flowers, fruit, food, and seeds that have fed and created the next generation of everything. Plants turn the sun into food. And love turns God into a life of meaning and purpose. The seeds that humans have cultivated and collected are often manipulated, stored, and forgotten. We collect and curate. We shape and then neglect. How many packets of seeds sit on a shelf unused? We seek to control the outcome. We think we know better. Humans have a habit of attempting to find meaning almost to a fault. We try and seek. We read, and we ponder. It is really rather simple. Walk up to a wildflower whose beauty has been spent in the summer breeze and sunshine. Then give it a little shake, and the seeds it has produced will be spread to grow the beauty of the next spring and summer garden. Let me strive to be a carefree wildflower raised on sunshine, raindrops, and the breath of the Spirit. I hope to be planted where I can share the beauty of God’s kingdom in the garden. I will sacrifice my desire to be in control and any attempt to be an overbred rose whose thorns prick admirers. I, by the Grace of the Lord, will follow in the steps of Jesus and share the love of God with all who see me. Wherever the wind takes me, may I scatter seeds. May those seeds plant love, generosity, and grace wherever they land. Becoming your true self can be simple if only we allow God to blow us where we can be planted. Prayer: Let us pray today and every day that by the grace of God, we may live each day with our eyes open to see and ears ready to listen. May the sunshine show us the light and the raindrops play a tune in our ears that allows us to grow and share our talents in the garden, 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: [email protected]. 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/.

Ecclesiastes 3:1 For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven. I suppose we didn’t study Ecclesiastes in my childhood Sunday school classes because, for a long time, I thought this verse, and the examples of opposite human experiences (life and death, planting and reaping, weeping and laughing, love and hate, war and peace, and others) in the following eight verses, were the lyrics to a song. And they are! Singer and activist Paul Seeger wrote the song “Turn, Turn, Turn” in 1961, incorporating these verses, and it was recorded by several groups and individual artists over the years. The 1965 version by The Birds is likely the most well-known. So, how did a few verses from “wisdom literature” in the Old Testament inspire a songwriter and singer known for his protest songs? Of course I do not really know the answer to that question, but I can make a guess. As a songwriter focusing on current issues and problems in the 1960s, Seeger looked to the Bible to explain and help human beings deal with the tumult and trauma of the time. Then, as now, people were dealing with social unrest, racism, abuse of human rights, and political violence. These are the themes of the human experience in any century. A common lament is “where is God when His people are suffering?” This passage reminds us that all human beings suffer, but we also find joy and happiness in life. In verse 12, the writer states that “there is nothing better. . .than to be happy and enjoy themselves as long as they live.” Life should not be lived in constant sorrow or foreboding of the next bad thing that will happen. God’s plan is not meant be altered nor understood. We are creatures of time and place, but God’s love is infinite and beyond our understanding. We are to have faith and hope and trust in God’s plan. Having faith, hope, and trust in the dark times mentioned in verses 2-8 (death, weeping, tearing apart, hate and war) is not easy, but it is what we as children of God are called to do. With the love and support of Christian friends, leaning on each other as members of the body of Christ, we can do together what we cannot do alone. Let us pray. Heavenly Father, we confess that at times we are overwhelmed by the evil we see in the world. It is hard to find the light of love and peace. Even when we cannot see it, we know it is there. Help us to look past the trials of this world and find comfort in your eternal promises. Even as we look forward, let us not forget to do what we can to ease the suffering of others. Give us strength and grace to serve You. 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: [email protected]. 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 6:34 Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.There are several songs in popular movie musicals that refer to the hope and promises of tomorrow. Perhaps one of the most popular examples of this is the song “The Sun Will Come Out Tomorrow” from the musical Annie. In the musical, the orphan Annie sings this song after she escapes the orphanage in an attempt to find her parents, after she and the other girls residing in the facility have been harshly punished by the cruel orphanage owner, Miss Hannigan. She sings about how thinking about tomorrow clears away the cobwebs and sorrow and how much she loves tomorrow, as it’s only a day away. On the other hand, there is a verse like this in the song “(Underneath the) Lovely London Sky” from the movie-musical Mary Poppins Returns. This song is sung by the character Jack, a leery, who is played by Lin-Manuel Miranda, and meant to be a foil to Dick Van Dyke’s character, the beloved chimney sweep Bert, in the 1964 movie Mary Poppins. During the scene in which this song is sung, the day has just begun, and Jack is riding his bike through the streets, lighting the streetlamps and singing about how lucky he feels to be beneath the titular Lovely London Sky, when he reaches one specific verse discussing the promises and hope of tomorrow: I know, yesterday you had to borrow from your chums. It seems the promise of tomorrow never comes. But since you dreamed the night away. Tomorrow’s here, it’s called today! So while we may feel stressed with the worries of today and what tomorrow will bring, it is crucial to focus on living in the now, as the promises and hope of tomorrow are always only a day away and will bring something new, and as mentioned in today’s verse, each day has enough troubles of its own, and when the sun sets on one day, those problems will be the problems of yesterday, and we are then allowed to focus on a new day. Prayer: God, while it can be overwhelming living in the now with some days filled with more troubles than others. Help us to remember to worry about the day that is in front of us now, as the sun will always come out tomorrow, and the promises of that day will worry about themselves. Please help guide us if we are lost in our worries of each day. Amen. This devotional 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: [email protected]. 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 are listening to Grace for All, a daily devotional podcast produced by the people of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. 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: [email protected]. 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/.

Ecclesiastes 3:1 (NLT) For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven. There are different seasons in our lives. When I was a young boy, I thought as a young boy. All I could think about was receiving my long list of wants. I believed that all would be right with the world if only I had a certain toy or bike. Birthday and Christmas gifts? Did they make my life more fulfilling? Actually, they only provided a short-lived, very brief, intense excitement. We humans do pray for a lot of things, no matter our age. We may pray for safety, health, love, or even good grades.  My next memorable season was being noticed by girls. I hoped I looked more like a young man, and I just knew getting my driver’s license would be all I needed. Hurry up, turn 16, get my license, and I could already visualize myself cruising around town. However, what I didn’t know was the expectations of this season from my parents. Responsibility was being taught, and paying for my own gas was a reality. Dating was next, a long-awaited season. Asking a girl out was so awkward and made me nauseous. Rejection was on my mind. I prayed to be as cool as a cucumber, but that didn’t always happen. At least, I only had one time where I opened the car door for my date and it sprung back and hit her in the head. My senior year was a new season. After changing schools, I decided to march in the high school band and began with summer practice. As practice started, I nervously arrived in the band room and was greeted by a beautiful young lady who gave me a comforting “hello” that touched my heart. We talked, and I found the courage to ask her out while nervously praying for a yes.  The good news, my soon-to-be girlfriend said yes. After our first date, I went home, sat on my parents’ bed, and confidently told them I had found the girl I would marry. A new season! Here we are 52 years later with 2 grown children, 5 grandchildren, and 1 great-grandchild. We have been blessed to be happily married. It takes hard work daily and is not always milk and honey. We are a praying family and have found many serious things to pray about over the many seasons of our life together. Our now adult son experienced a life-threatening car accident as a teenager. I found myself praying for his life and the gifts he has to offer to the world. As the seasons have passed, we realize just how blessed we have been to have watched his faith provide a strong Christian impact on his students. Another season we have lived through is the loss of our parents and then the turning point of becoming empty nesters. Through those years of parenting, we worked diligently with our children to prepare them for life and their own seasons to come. There is a time to prepare them to handle life and then a time to let them go. We have also been blessed to love and care for many pets. Sadly, they have such short lives, and yet they were wonderful examples of faith, loyalty, love, and comfort on days they sensed were hard days for us. Our love for them started the day they joined our family and continued until we gave them the last kiss, pat, and hug as we said goodbye. The end of another beautiful season. And now, we are in this new season. A season of reflection and examination. Not the last season, but one of appreciating the seasons we have shared. From our childhoods, through our young adult years, middle age years, and now older adult years, we truly know, “for everything there is a season”. We are blessed and look forward to God’s plans for this time. Please pray with me. Loving God, you tell us there is a time for every activity under heaven. Let this be our season to love, not hate; show civility, be generous, serve more, complain less, be supportive, spend more time with family, be less self-centered, be better parents and grandparents, be more positive, be more patient, study your word, and live as you would have us live. Remind us that now is the time to turn our lives over to Jesus. It is our season. In the name of your son, Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.  This devotional 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: [email protected]. 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/.

1 Thessalonians 4:9-12 Now about your love for one another, we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other. And in fact, you do love all of God's family throughout Macedonia. Yet we urge you, brothers and sisters, to do so more and more, and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody. Paul is writing to a church with an unexpected problem: some believers had quit their jobs to wait for Christ's return. They thought ordinary work was pointless if Jesus was coming back soon. But Paul says something surprising: "Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life." That's fascinating language—having an ambition for quietness. Usually, we think of ambition as loud, attention-seeking. But Paul says the sanctified life looks like working with your hands, minding your own business, and not calling attention to yourself. The "quiet life" isn't about being passive or invisible. It's about being so grounded in God's love that you don't need drama or spectacle to prove your faith. It's about working with integrity, treating people well, being honest in your dealings, and showing kindness without making a show of it. In our age of social media and constant self-promotion, this is radically countercultural. Paul is saying that holiness often looks like reliability, that sanctification shows up in how well you do your ordinary job, how you treat your family, and whether your word can be trusted. The early Christians were sometimes accused of being lazy freeloaders. Paul says: Prove them wrong by living such good, honest, productive lives that even your critics have to respect you. Let your daily faithfulness be your testimony. Not every Christian is called to be a missionary or pastor. But every Christian is called to work with integrity, love their neighbors, and live so well that it points others toward God—even when no one's looking, even when it's just ordinary Tuesday faithfulness. Prayer: Lord, help us find you in the ordinary moments—in our work, our daily responsibilities, our quiet acts of service. Give us contentment with the life you've placed us in, and teach us to live with such integrity and love that others see your goodness reflected in our everyday faithfulness. May our ambition be for the quiet holiness that honors you in both the dramatic and mundane moments of life. Amen. This devotional 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: [email protected]. 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/.

Philippians 4:6-7 (the Living Bible) Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything; tell God your needs, and don’t forget to thank him for his answers. If you do this, you will experience God‘s peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will keep your thoughts and your hearts quiet and at rest as you trust in Christ Jesus. The constant drone of awful information can cause us to feel afraid, worried, and overwhelmed. Reports fill our eyes and ears with news of the constant drone of awful information — devastating floods, raging fires, heartbreaking famine, endless wars and bombs, plane crashes, drug overdoses, suicides, murders, school shootings, and political unrest. The list goes on, and we feel captive, involved, and tormented, with the unrest that seems to surround us. We want to find the mute button, the off switch, but the horrors just keep coming, and the stress and anxiety fill us with dread.  Today’s scripture provides the key to unlock the door to the pathway to peace. Let’s hear it again… Don’t worry about anything, instead pray for everything; tell God your needs, and don’t forget to thank him for his answers. If you do this, you will experience God‘s peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will keep your thoughts and your hearts quiet and at rest as you trust in Christ Jesus.  We should all mark our daily calendars with several reminders to stop, find a quiet place, and pray for everything that’s on our minds. We should use those prayer appointments to tell God our needs and thank him for his answers. In the quiet, wrap yourself in God’s great LOVE. Then continue your day wrapped in the peace he promises.  Let’s do the first prayer appointment together right now…  Dear God, the world is so full of pain and turmoil. We worry about all the terrible things that we hear each day. We worry about all those people who are hurting, all those wars that are being fought, all those needless deaths, the suffering children, the homeless, the heartbroken. We ask you, Lord, to help and heal. We ask you to take control of our hearts and help us lean on your promises and on Christ Jesus. Help us, Lord, to trust you. Calm our fears, soothe our worried minds, and lead us into your peace. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.  P.S. Lord, if there is something you want me to do for you, to help in some way, please push me in the right direction to be your hands and feet, to spread your LOVE and Peace wherever I go. 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: [email protected]. 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/.

Romans 3:23-24 …since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; they are now justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus… One doesn’t have to be a performer to have heard the advice for someone who is nervous to go on stage or speak or perform in front of a crowd: just imagine everyone in the audience in their underwear (or sometimes, it’s even “imagine them naked”). I think that I first heard that advice on a cartoon as a child, but I’m sure that it was well before I understood that the advice was a coping strategy to convince your mind of the equality you share with the others for whom you are performing as a means of not being quite so nervous. Imagining them in a more humbling version of themselves helps us see each other not so hierarchically, with the audience lording over us, but instead reframes them in a more equal and comfortable relationship. Similarly, in Paul’s letter to the Romans, he describes the justice of God in terms of equality. We all sin. We all fall short of the glory of God. We all fail and are broken people in some way. To be human, frankly, is to be fragile. To live in this world necessarily means that you will mess up sometimes, that you will not always be the best version of yourself. But friends, the good news here is that God understands, God loves you, and God claims you — that is the gift of God’s grace. Furthermore, there is no value in comparing our “goodness” with others; God loves us equally. I worked in a Presbyterian church at one point, and a friend who was a lay leader of that congregation was doing a presentation on being part of that denomination. She said to me, “so many folks tend to get caught up on the predestination thing. All that really means to me is that nothing I can do can make God love me any more and nothing I will do will make God love me any less.” While I don’t mean to open the theological can of worms that is the concept of predestination, especially in a podcast produced by a United Methodist church, I think that sentiment is so beautiful, and it is at the heart of what Paul is saying here. So let us all remind ourselves of this important and affirming truth: God loves us, God is on our side, and God wants what is best for us. And, as Paul writes a few chapters later in Romans, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” Let us pray. God, we thank you for the gift of your love and grace. Thank you for understanding our hurts, our failures, our brokenness — our humanity. And thank you for being with us in spite of it all, no matter what. We pray that we honor you by living lives that demonstrate our gratitude by sharing and showing that grace and love with others. In Christ’s name, 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: [email protected]. 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/.

Philippians 2:3-8 Don't do anything for selfish purposes, but with humility think of others as better than yourselves. Instead of each person watching out for their own good, watch out for what is better for others. Adopt the attitude that was in Christ Jesus: Though he was in the form of God, he did not consider being equal with God something to exploit. But he emptied himself by taking the form of a slave and by becoming like human beings. When he found himself in the form of a human, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. How did this mind of Christ reflect in his day-to-day life? He touched the unclean leper and healed him. He was compassionate to the woman caught in adultery. He made mud and placed it on the eyes of the blind man. He sat and talked with the Samaritan woman who had a checkered past. He washed the feet of his disciples and, yes, he submitted to torture and execution as a common criminal. No one and nothing was beneath him as he demonstrated his servant's heart. I was reminded in reflecting on this scripture of the late Pope Francis. He who washed and kissed the feet of female inmates from his wheelchair; who washed the feet of Muslims; who demonstrated love and patience for the elderly, the children, the infirm, and the disabled. And then I remembered an incident recently as I visited my daughter's family in Oregon. One day I took my granddaughter to the library. In the bushes outside was a young woman crouching down, talking loudly on a phone to someone or no one. We went inside and I sat down in the lobby and began listening to an audiobook on my earbuds while my granddaughter went to check out books. The young woman from the bushes came in, sat in the chair next to mine and plopped her stuff down on the little table between us. She got up a couple of times, walking around the lobby, talking loudly on her phone to someone or no one. And then she came and sat down again. Next to me. Through the audiobook in my ears, I heard her say, "So how are you this fine day." Hoping that she was talking to someone else, I stared ahead, listening to my book. I wasn't being asked to wash her feet or lay hands on her. Simply to respond to a friendly greeting. She grabbed her stuff and walked out of the library. And I missed an opportunity to show compassion and grace to a young lady in whose presence I was sadly uncomfortable. I am reminded of something Pastor Jonathan said in one of his first sermons that we will never look into the eyes of someone who is not a child of God. I hope that when given another opportunity, I will not neglect to remember that. Prayer: Father, help me to never pass up a chance to show your love, your compassion, your grace to one of your children. Help me to better adopt the attitude that was in Christ Jesus. Amen. This devotional was written by Charlie Barton 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: [email protected]. 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/.

John 20:29 Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen, and yet believed." I am so grateful that God’s grace is bigger than my doubt. In my life, I have been blessed to witness numerous things I would consider miracles, things that by the odds never should have happened. Some have been big—life-changing. Others have been small; perhaps no one even noticed but me. Each, an unexpected gift. Undeserved favor. Grace.  And yet…  Doubt clouds my thoughts. When I consider all that is wrong in the world, all of the problems of our planet and the history of humanity with our greed and hatred, doubt in a positive future sits heavily on my stubborn heart. I just don’t see it. Sometimes, I am afraid to believe in it. Thomas didn’t see it either. He was afraid, too—afraid to believe, heavy with doubt. And Jesus showed up, anyway. God’s grace was bigger than his doubt. How much greater the blessing is for those who believe without seeing, yes. But do not miss this message: doubt doesn’t prevent the blessing. Thomas experienced Christ’s resurrection power despite his doubt. And right now, all the world needs to pivot, to change, is just a little bit of resurrection power. Let us pray: Lord, we pray for resurrection, for communities weighed down by conflict, individuals trapped by disappointment, and nations yearning for peace. May your grace always find us in our doubts, and lift our hopes toward futures unimagined. And Lord, if the world needs just a little bit of resurrection power, may it begin right here—with a sacred yes, and a heart ready to believe again. Amen. This 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: [email protected]. 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/.

Thank you for joining us for today's Grace for All podcast. On Saturdays, we pause for a few moments to look back on our week and to review the scriptures that we have used in our podcast. We encourage you, after listening to this episode, to go back and listen to the episodes you missed, or to review the ones that were particularly meaningful for you. We trust that the thoughts that we have shared with you this week have provided a full portion of the joy, peace, and love of Jesus Christ. Now, let's hear this week's scriptures.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: [email protected]. 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 25:40 And the King will answer them, “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.” Reading the red passages in the Gospels, the words spoken by Jesus sometimes terrify me. Previously in this chapter, Jesus describes His return and uses a metaphor comparing believers and nonbelievers to sheep and goats. Sheep, highly valued, will be on the right. Goats go left. The sheep receive the inheritance, the kingdom of God, while the goats are sent to “the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.” The image of the eternal fire and the devil feeds right into the fire and brimstone sermons I heard as a youth. Again, they were terrifying. I knew early on that I wanted to be a sheep and not a goat! But the heart of the message comes after this description of the separation. The sheep are the followers who acted on earth: feeding the hungry, giving water to the thirsty, welcoming the stranger, clothing the naked, caring for the sick, visiting the imprisoned. The crowd is understandably confused. They ask, Lord, when did we see you hungry, thirsty, a stranger, naked, sick, or imprisoned? Then the bombshell reply, “... just as you did it to the least of these, my brothers and sisters, you did it to me.” The bombshell is that Jesus is telling his followers then and now to care for ALL humanity. The least of these are the marginalized, the vulnerable, those who look, act, and think differently from us. No more hiding them out of sight, allowing them to die from illness, starvation, or preventable illness, or lack of any basic human needs. You may not see too many people you would consider “the least of these,” but they are here, and they are all over the world, and our calling as Christians is to care for them however we can. One part of the worship service at First United Methodist Church of Maryville that I really appreciate is the pastor’s brief message before the offering. He or she shares how our gifts and offerings are used to carry out Jesus’ command to serve others. Whether it’s preparing buckets for UMCOR, the United Methodist Committee on Relief, or supporting ministries for children and youth or senior adults and their families dealing with dementia, we have many opportunities to support programs that help others in need. We may not be the ones physically doing the work, but our gifts enable others to fulfill their calling. We also have many opportunities to be physically involved in the service of others: Welcome Table, Celebrate Recovery, Vacation Bible School, Go Do projects, DayBreak, the Grace for All podcasts. The list of opportunities goes on and on. It is up to us to take advantage of those opportunities or volunteer our services in other ways.Maybe it isn’t easy to be a sheep, but it is possible when the Holy Spirit leads and empowers us. After all, no one wants to be a goat. Let us pray. Heavenly Father, as human beings with all our faults, we know it can be very challenging to follow Your commands. You make it clear what we are to do through the words of your Son, Jesus Christ, and with the power of the Holy Spirit, we have the strength. Sometimes, the only thing lacking is resolve. Please help us remain resolved to do what You would have us do to serve the least of these, both in our community and in the world. Amen. This devotional was written and read by Pat ScruggsGrace 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: [email protected]. 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 Samuel 20:42 Then Jonathan said to David, “Go in peace because the two of us made a solemn pledge in the Lord’s name.” When we think of faith and good works, our minds go immediately to the New Testament and the words of James, “Faith without works is dead.” Recently, however, I was reading the story of David and Jonathan anew from the Old Testament. In it, I see a story of faith and action that challenges me as to how I should be living my faith. David had been anointed by Samuel to be the next King of Israel. Jonathan was the crown prince, the son of King Saul. In almost every scenario imaginable, these two would be implacable enemies. Yet, that was not the case. They loved each other as brothers. Jonathan went out of his way to protect David from the murderous intentions of his father, even to the point of risking his own life. The scripture today is from the last time they saw each other. Jonathan sends David away in peace. Soon after, King Saul and Jonathan were killed in a climactic battle with the Philistines. You would think David would be rejoicing, for now he could seize the crown and fulfill his destiny. Instead, we read how David cries in sorrow for the loss of his dear friend. Jonathan knows that God has selected David to be king. He is not angry, he is not jealous, but instead accepting. He does not use his power to destroy David but instead sends him away in peace. His faith in God and his love for David were lived out in courageous actions. In reading this story, it made me pause. Do I have the faith and love of Jonathan? If another got the job I wanted, would I do everything in my power to make sure they were successful? If someone in the family seems to be more favored than me, would I accept the reality that is, or would I let resentment eat me up? You can add to this list, but a story like Jonathan and David reminds me that it is much harder than I want to admit to unite faith and actions. To do this, you need to believe that where I am and what I am doing right now is exactly where God wants me to be and that what I am doing is exactly what God wishes. It means setting aside my desires and goals for a higher purpose. It means loving others even when they might be hard to love. It means setting aside what I want and striving to live doing what God wants. I am sure it wasn’t always easy for Jonathan, knowing that David, and not he, would be the next king. Yet, because of the commitments he had made to David and his faith in God, he would find the strength to live the path God had set before him in honor and love. Let us pray: Loving God, we confess that it is hard, at times, to put our faith into action. We let pride, hurts, and disappointments get in the way. Remind us that we need to be like Jonathan, and live faithfully and lovingly always, even when it is hard and the path is full of disappointments. AMEN. This devotional 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: [email protected]. 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/.

John 21:20-22 Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them. (This was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and had said, “Lord, who is going to betray you?”) When Peter saw him, he asked, “Lord, what about him?” Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.” I suspect Peter must have suffered from a little (or a lot) of John envy. It was John whom Peter relied on to ask Jesus who the betrayer would be. It is believed that John was the disciple who was allowed in the court of the high priest, while Peter was relegated to standing outside by the fire with the help. So, John, like Jesus, would have been there to witness Peter's betrayal. At the crucifixion, there was no mention of Peter, but there was John standing with the mother of Jesus to comfort her and take responsibility for her care. Then John outruns Peter to the tomb, though it was bold Peter who entered the tomb first. And now in our scripture, when Peter is accepting his charge to ministry from Jesus, there is John (the disciple whom Jesus loved) following along behind. Jesus had earlier told Peter that he would be the rock upon whom he would build his church. And in this scene, he instructs Peter to feed my lambs....take care of my sheep....feed my sheep. And still Peter is compelled to ask, "Lord, what about him?" And Jesus' response is "what difference does that make to you? You must follow me."  And what about us? Do we see and envy the gifts of others? Do we wish that we were more musical, more artistic, more skilled at building, more articulate at sharing our faith, more adept at speaking in public or leading a committee? I'm sure Jesus would say to us, "What is that to you? You must follow me." Jesus will use us just as we are with gifts we may not even know we possess, to bless his sheep and enrich his kingdom where we live every day. We just need to hear and respond to him, saying now to us, "Follow me." Prayer: Father God, open our eyes and our hearts to the ways you can use us as we are, where we are. And open our ears to hear Jesus call, "Follow me." It's in his name we pray. Amen This devotional was written by Charlie Barton 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: [email protected]. 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/.

Hebrews 10:24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Who are the greatest influencers in your life? Family? Friends? Coworkers? Neighbors? Or are they politicians? Content generators? Social influencers? We have entered an unprecedented era in which the people who influence our behavior the most could easily be people we have never personally met and likely never will. While we may identify with them on some level of shared interest, belief or experience, there is no personal connection. And while there is potential good in the resources that are now available to most people--the ability to access a wealth of information and learn about any topic--there is also unprecedented potential for harm and exploitation. What do the people who influence you the most “spur you on toward”? Is it personal growth? Service? Vanity? Humility? Wealth? Generosity? Do they spur you on toward love, or toward fear? Toward hope, or despair? The writer of the letter to the Hebrews knew that human nature makes us susceptible to all kinds of influence. And he knew that to hold on to hope, we need two things: we need God, and we need one another. He encouraged his readers to—in chapter 10, verse 22—"draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance of faith,” and in verse 25, to “not give up meeting together.” And he knew that if we do these things, we might spur one another on toward love and good deeds. We might become the very evidence of hope—love in action. I am richly blessed, and have been throughout my life, to have faithful friends, followers of Christ, who spur me on toward love and good deeds, who by their examples of love and joy in service encourage me to act out my faith. They show me what it means to be more than receptacles for God’s grace. Instead, they show me how to serve as channels of God’s grace. So, friends, who spurs you on toward love and good deeds? And who might you spur on today? Let us pray: Loving God, you pour your grace into our lives not as an end in itself, but so that we might share your love with one another in action. As we go through this day, let us consider how your grace can flow freely through us, that we might spur one another on toward love and good deeds. In Jesus’ name we pray, 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: [email protected]. 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/.

Hebrews 10:24-25 (NIV) And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another. In thinking about this passage and reading other versions of these words, I came upon a phrase I think more accurately describes what the author of Hebrews is asking of the reader. Rather than the word “spur,” the phrase I prefer is “stir up”. I understand this phrase as someone who enjoys baking. I’m often stirring up various ingredients to create a blended mixture. Sometimes the flour has settled to the bottom of the bowl, and quite a bit of stirring is needed! Motivating others is like that. It’s stirring up what’s already there but perhaps has settled to the bottom of their hearts. As a believer, the love is there in them, and the opportunities for good works are already in front of them. It just takes some motivation to stir it up! I can certainly apply this to my own life. Like some of you perhaps, I go through times of great energy and enthusiasm for ministering to others and other times when it's a struggle. At these times, a good stirring up is needed. So, how do we “stir” ourselves and others up? Maybe the key is in the second verse I read earlier. Verse 25 says, “don’t give up meeting together as some are in the habit of doing, but encourage one another”. This habit of attending worship service and other church activities is cultivated by regularity. The idea that Sunday is church day is one we tried as parents to instill in our children and one we continue working on even now. Being around other believers, singing or listening to worshipful music, digging into the Bible, exchanging ideas in a Sunday School class or small group, praying as a congregation, volunteering to lead a committee or hep with a project at your church, or just praying for others . . . these are all ways we can stay committed to actively seeking out opportunities to love others and perform good deeds just as Jesus taught. Let’s pray together: Loving God, you sent your son Jesus to show us by the perfect example how to love others and look for ways to express that love through good deeds. Guide us in choosing how we spend our time so that we can be the hands and feet of Jesus and encourage others to do so as well. Amen. This devotional was written 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: [email protected]. 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/.

John 15:1-5  Jesus said: I am the true vine and my father is the vinekeeper. Every branch that does not bear fruit, he takes away, and every branch that bears fruit, he prunes so that it bears more fruit. You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. The vine brings much needed water to the branches. Without that water, we know that the branches wither and fail. Jesus was baptized in the River Jordan. Many of us were baptized with water, too. That same water can represent the spiritual sustenance brought to us by Jesus through the Holy Spirit. Jesus makes it very clear that “apart from me you can do nothing.” We can have the best laid plans, but are they going to work out? Take those plans to God in prayer. We can again have the best laid plans, take them to God and prayer, and very likely yield an outcome we didn’t expect. It’s quite possible that the result would be better than what we expected.  The bottom line is to take your concerns to Jesus in prayer. He told the multitude on the Mount in Matthew 7:7, “Ask and it will be given to you, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened to you.” We need to stay active in our faith and persistent in our prayer to maintain our relationship with God. The book of Mark tells us 42 times to hurry up! Hurry up and act out your faith. James in Chapter One, verse 22 says: “But be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves.” He also tells us in Chapter Two, verse 26: “For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is also dead.” The message from Mark and James is crystal clear, hurry up and get out there and put your faith into action. If you already are, fantastic! Your reward in heaven is great! Maybe you’re not at all, or not as much as you want to be. If that is the case, pray on your role, find your niche, start small. Let Jesus nourish your branch with life-giving spiritual water! Let us pray: God above, fortify us to go out into this world to act out our Christian faith through your love for us, for all to see!  This devotion 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: [email protected]. 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 people of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. 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: [email protected]. 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 5:16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. I love lighthouses. There is just something special about them to me. I love to photograph them, especially at dusk or dawn. What’s interesting to me about lighthouses is that although they are often architecturally very plain, and there is usually nothing special about their location or setting, they serve an incredibly vital purpose. I guess you could say that they are humble. They're not trying to show off. They're not standing there on the rocky coast saying, "Hey, everybody, look at me!" They're just doing their job – cutting through the darkness, warning ships away from danger, and guiding them safely to harbor. That's what Jesus had in mind when he told his disciples to let their light shine. Right before this verse, Jesus calls his followers "the light of the world." Not "a" light – "the" light. That's a pretty big responsibility. But then he gives this simple instruction: just let your light shine. Don't hide it under a basket. Don't dim it down because you're worried what people might think. Just let it do what light naturally does. We overcomplicate this sometimes. We hear "let your light shine" and immediately start worrying about whether we're spiritual enough, or whether people will think we're being preachy, or whether we even have a light worth shining in the first place. But here's the thing – your light isn't your perfection. It's not your theology degree or your ability to quote scripture. Your light is simply love in action. It's holding the door for someone whose hands are full. It's showing up with a casserole when your neighbor's going through chemo. It's treating the server at the restaurant like a human being, rather than a machine. Jesus says when we do these things, people see our good deeds and glorify our Father in heaven. Notice he doesn't say they'll glorify us. They'll see past our imperfect, bumbling selves and catch a glimpse of something bigger—something divine. That's the paradox of Christian living. The more authentically we serve others, the less it becomes about us and the more it points to God. Like that lighthouse, we're not trying to draw attention to ourselves. We're trying to help people navigate safely through whatever storm they're facing. And do you know what’s interesting? Jesus assumes we already have this light. He doesn't say, "If you get your act together, maybe you can shine someday." He says, "Let your light shine." It's already there. God's already put it in you. The question isn't whether you have light to offer the world. The question is whether you're going to let it out or not. So today, look for simple ways to shine. Smile at the person pumping gas next to you. Text a friend who's been on your mind. Leave an encouraging note for someone who needs it. Be generous with your patience, your time, and your attention. Because in a world that can feel pretty dark sometimes, people are looking for lighthouses. They're looking for someone who points them toward hope, toward love, toward home. Prayer: Father, thank you for placing your light within us. Give us the courage to let it shine naturally and authentically, so others might find their way to you. Amen. This devotional was written and ready 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: [email protected]. 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/.

Hebrews 11:1 (NIV)Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.How many times in life have we as humans felt that we are working towards something and making little to no visible progress?  I know that, being a graduate school student, I have felt this plenty of times, going through two thesis changes and working a job 20 hours a week on top of my course load.  However, while we may not see it, progress is not always visible. We could be making leaps and bounds towards our desired outcome that others may see, but we may not.  Much like dealing with our faith and remaining strong in prayer, we may not see results right away, but as this verse mentions, our faith is the CONFIDENCE in what we hope for and the  ASSURANCE for what we do not see.  Much like striving for academic success and long-term goals, our faith journeys may not always have visible progress, yet as we know, if we remain steadfast and strong in prayer and have confidence in our faith and abilities, there is assurance that the best is yet to come on both fronts.  Let’s pray:  God, while we may be impatient as progress is not always linear or visible, help us to remember that through our faith, we can have confidence and assurance in our desired outcomes. Forgive us for our impatience and help us to remain forever faithful and confident, even if our progress may not always be visible. Amen.  This devotional 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: [email protected]. 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/.

1 John 3:18 Little children, let us love not in word or speech, but in deed and truth. In my life, I’ve had more than one experience, as I’m sure you have had, in which a person touted their piety and religious superiority, but I later found out that it was not backed up with behavior that reflected God’s love toward others. One of the most stark examples I can remember is when I was a child, and an interracial couple started attending my church. They were stared at and whispered about until they went from sitting in the main part of the congregation to moving to the back, to moving to the balcony, to not coming at all. What a sad state of affairs. Of course, that kind of thing still happens today, if not with interracial couples, possibly with people who don’t fit whatever other mold of the folks at that particular church. Certainly, this is not living the love of Christ as John calls us to do in today’s verse. But let us examine a different experience of mine. As anyone who works for a church knows, when people learn of your employment circumstances, they categorize you. They start treating you differently, and there is an instant filter they put over what they say and do in front of you. It’s a little bit frustrating sometimes, but it’s something that happens, so I expect it. On the flip side, people also often want to share with you their own experiences with their faith. One such time was with a neighbor of mine, who shared this: She said that she grew up Catholic, but not particularly religious. In young adulthood, she stopped going to church altogether. This basically continued throughout her adult life until, in retirement, she was living in a community in which a group of ladies kept collecting items for charity drives — food, clothing, cleaning supplies, whatever. They collected and delivered the recycling for the community, and they always seemed busy with something. She finally asked them, “Why are you doing all of this?” They replied that they were all service projects through their church. She was surprised by this — she thought church was something you attended Sunday morning, not something that had an effect on your daily life. She said, “Which church?” and the answer was the local United Methodist congregation. She has been part of the UMC ever since. She told me, “I figured that if it was inspiring those folks to do so much good, it must be worth my time.” What a beautiful expression of God’s love in the community. I do think God wants us to proclaim our faith in word, but I think that more than that, God wants us to proclaim our faith through the acts of loving our neighbors, caring for creation, and helping in all the ways we can help. It is through this witness that others will have the love of Christ made known to them, and it is through this witness that others will know that we are not living hypocritical lives of faith, but that we are genuinely doing our best to live the life we are called to by God. Let us pray.God, help us to never have hollow words, but remind us to fill those words with action, and inspire that action with your love so that all will see a real and true example of Christian faith in us. 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: [email protected]. 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/.

1 John 3:18 Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth. I’ve known some “big talkers” in my lifetime. Some of these acquaintances spoke of grandiose plans for their future, only to fizzle out when action was required. Others would spout off accomplishments, but in reality, they were riding on someone's coattails and attempting to take credit for someone else’s work. I try hard not to be too judgmental or dismissive of these folks, but I’ve been burned too many times by people with little or no follow-through.  This verse emphasizes the importance of translating feelings of love into tangible acts of kindness, service, and compassion, demonstrating a love that is authentic and not merely superficial. It suggests that simply talking about love, or expressing it verbally, is not enough. True love is demonstrated through actions that reflect the love one claims to have. This could involve offering practical assistance, providing support, or donating to a cause. Or maybe it could be about forgiving someone who has wronged you, choosing to let go of resentment and choose love over bitterness. In addition, it could involve putting the needs of others before your own and helping them in a genuine way. Just talking about it doesn’t make it happen. Our own church has taken this verse to heart. Greta Smith, Jim Stovall, and others talked about additional ways to reach out and spread the Gospel. After talking about it, they decided to do the work and started “Grace for All” podcasts with daily devotionals. Several years ago, a group of members saw the need in the community for food and fellowship. They talked about it, then took action and started Welcome Table, which has been going strong for many years. And when Jill Pope saw a need to help caregivers of dementia patients, she didn’t just talk about the need; she researched, collaborated with the pastoral staff and other church members, and took action. We now have Daybreak Dementia Respite, giving caregivers the break that they need to avoid burnout. I am so grateful for these genuine expressions of love.  My hope is that we continue to spot needs and not just talk about it, but become Christians of action. Let us pray: Dear Lord, We are so grateful that you are a God of Action, not just words. Help us to follow Your lead and continue to be a church of Love and Truth by taking the initiative to do good deeds, not just talk about it. Amen.  This devotional was written by Virginia Hardwick Kerr 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: [email protected]. 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/.

Romans 6: 1-4 What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. In this passage, which actually starts in the previous chapter, Paul seems to be in the thicket of a heavily theological discussion. That happens to Paul occasionally. He attempts to explain some of the finer points of Christianity to new converts. Paul has such zeal for his beliefs that the words and phrases come tumbling out. Has someone actually suggested to Paul that people who believe in Christ should continue to sin – so that they can continue to receive God’s saving grace? In the previous chapter in Romans, Paul has said that where sin is great, so is grace. There have, indeed, been people who have argued that God’s salvation is so wonderful that we should obtain it continually by sinning often and then being forgiven. But Paul says forgiveness and grace are not the endpoint. They are, in fact, the beginning. The beginning of a new life. That life is in Christ. Just as Christ died and was resurrected, we too just die. We should die to sin. We can then be raised from that death into a new life. That is a life where sin and sinning have much less appeal because we have experienced something far more satisfying. Once raised, are we free from sin? Not completely. We may stumble and fall along the way. When we do, there is grace sufficient for our renewal. But our focus will be on a new life—one where Christ is the center. And that new life will change our attitude and our behavior. Let us pray. God in heaven, give us a deeper understanding of the renewal and new life that you have provided for us with the death and resurrection of your son, Jesus Christ. Amen.  This devotional 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: [email protected]. 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/.

John 15:5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. In this parable, Jesus uses the word abide to talk about our relationship to him. Abide, in this setting, is a rich word meaning to stay in fellowship or union with Christ. The metaphor of the vine and the branch helps to drive this message home. Grapes can only grow and bear fruit if connected to the vine. What does abiding mean for us? For me, it is a reminder that I need to ask Jesus for help, not just when things are hard, but at all times. It is a way of connecting faith with action. I have been told I am too self-reliant. For this reason, I am loath to ask for help. This is true from handyman chores around the house to my faith. Too often, I find myself believing that I have all the tools I need, in faith, to accomplish much for God. When these feelings bubble up to the surface, I start feeling a little too proud of myself for something I did, in the name of Jesus, and what results have happened. Then I remember this verse and realize the fruit of the results would not have happened without Jesus’ help. Then an even more sobering thought comes to mind. Would the harvest have been better if I had asked for help from God and others? This, I remember, is what it means to abide. Sadly. The answer is almost always yes. To abide, to be in fellowship with God and others, means having an awareness that I need help and asking for it. The other day, a situation happened to drive that point home. A light switch needed to be replaced. I knew how to do it, but I didn’t have all the tools necessary for accomplishing the task safely. I knew my son had what I needed, which I asked to borrow. He said, “Don’t worry, I will be over in a few minutes and replace it.” As he was accomplishing the task, I had to admit to feeling unsettled. I didn’t like feeling like I needed help. I wanted to do it myself. But, as he finished, he turned and smiled and said, “Glad I could help.” I realized just then I had given him a gift. He felt blessed to be able to help. In asking for and receiving help, something more than a light switch was fixed. I see God relating to us in much the same way. When we let go of our need to be in control and turn and ask for help and guidance, God rejoices, for now we are abiding in God. Our faith, our work, and God’s love and direction come together, and something better happens. Others get involved, and the Kingdom of God expands in love and joy. So remember, you don’t have to go it alone in faith or in life. Ask for help, see how you are connected, abiding with others and with God, and rejoice at the fruit those connections bring. Let us pray. Loving God, we do want to abide in you, to be in a deep and fruitful relationship. Remind us that to do this, we need to humble ourselves and ask for help, and for guidance, for it is only then that you are at the center of our lives and we find the way to produce abundant fruit for you and the world. AMEN. This devotional 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: [email protected]. 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 the Saturday episode of the Grace for All podcast. Thank you for joining us today. Saturday is a special time when we take a few moments to review the scriptures that we have cited in the episodes this week.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: [email protected]. 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/.

Ephesians 2:8-9 For it is by grace you have been saved through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast.  We Christians are not perfect. We Christians are all sinners. But the thing that sets us apart is our Faith and trust in Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God. He came to Earth, was virgin born into a human body, and lived a sinless life. When His time on earth was done, he calmly offered Himself up to die on that cross. He rose up out of that grave three days later, and before he ascended to heaven, he visited his closest disciples and gave them courage with his parting words: Acts 1:8But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. These words serve us, his followers, as our commission, instructing us to spread his message and His teachings throughout the world. And in his own words, the greatest commandment, the most important, is that we LOVE God, and LOVE our neighbor as we LOVE ourselves. We must demonstrate that LOVE of God and neighbor by helping our earthly neighbors – loving them. And as today’s verse reminds us, it is by Grace we have been saved. No matter how many good works we do, we cannot earn our way into God’s LOVE. God’s LOVE is already ours, and His Grace is endless. John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, taught the concept of three expressions of God’s Grace. Prevenient Grace, the Grace we receive even before we know we need it. Justifying Grace, the Grace we receive at the moment we ask for forgiveness. Sanctifying Grace, the lifelong work of the Holy Spirit, shaping us into the likeness of Christ. No matter how hard we work to be good and do good things, we still can’t work our way into God’s precious Gift of salvation. The only way to that Gift is by faith in Jesus Christ. Only by faith in Jesus can we receive the free Gift of Grace – forgiveness for our wrongs, our errors, our sins! It is too beautiful to fully comprehend. God loves us – all of his human children – so much that he freely gives Grace before we even know we need it! The joy of knowing this Gift should inspire us all to freely give of ourselves to help our fellow humans in every way we can. We should help, not as works to earn God’s favor, but as gifts to thank God for his unlimited Grace and salvation! Let’s pray now. Thank you, Lord, for all your generous Grace! Help me to be as generous with my fellowman as you are with me. 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: [email protected]. 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/.

Hebrews 10:24 (NLT) Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. Most of us go about our daily lives on autopilot. We go to work, do our best, interact with our families and co-workers, clients, guests, or customers in a polite manner. Sure, we take some time to smile, laugh, and attempt to fully enjoy the day, but realistically, it’s just a routine. Others might even comment that we are always pleasant, upbeat, calm or well prepared. We smile and offer thanks, but don’t take those words very seriously. As I read and ponder today’s scripture, I wonder if we ever consider how others really view or value our routine. In fact, how do we intentionally approach our daily actions? I know my day starts and ends differently when I spend time with God first thing. Once I have consciously chosen to ”include” Him in my day, every action, every response is more aligned with the person, the servant, the Christian God is calling me to be. The result of that awareness leads me to be a better person, to consciously do good, to be kind, to show love, and to enjoy life. It even invites me to call others to join me – to live in a way that is pleasing to God. What motivates us? What brings us to the moment when doing good is about attracting others to do the same? I believe it is about faith, about grace (we all need a healthy dose of grace), and about inspiring others to do good as well. I love watching the many videos at our fingertips these days, you know the ones where a young man helps an elderly lady with her cart; she then helps someone else across the street, who then makes sure that the dry plant is placed so that it catches the rainwater. There's more to the story, but you get the picture. Each single act inspires someone else to do good without a response, with no “payback” expected. We see it all the time when the car in front of us or someone else pays for our food or drink, and before you know it, 8 cars are in a row are still “paying it forward”. Each driver is inspired or motivated to do good and be kind! We can be inventive and creative when we choose. But where does faith come in? It’s not just about doing good. I personally believe it is most inspiring when others can see you live your life with a faithful heart. You are sincere in your relationship with God. Your life, the way you live, the way you share your faith, is through the grace of good works – sometimes very simple, sometimes more elaborate, but always done to share grace, love, and humility. So, today, when you begin your day – or maybe you begin your day again – focus on God and His grace. How might you, on this very day, motivate, inspire or spark love for someone else? How might your actions encourage and help someone else to do good, to serve, and to be an example that moves others to action? You can do it! Make it a daily part of your life. You never know when your good deed might just be the “hope” someone else is seeking or the grace they are desperate to feel. Yes, you will be blessing others. You will also be blessed by the knowledge of a greater love. Please pray with me… Merciful God, as I begin this day, open my eyes that I may see others who might see and feel your love and grace by simple good deeds. Help me to maintain my focus on serving you, being faithful as you are to me. Allow my actions to stir the hearts of others so that goodness, kindness, grace, and love continue to be shared in your Holy name. Amen. This devotion 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: [email protected]. 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/.

Proverbs 3:5 (NIV) Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your path straight. I had a recent experience regarding trust that caused me to stop and consider the word and its deeper meaning. The veterinarian was to come and vaccinate our cat and horse early one morning. Usually, I must catch the cat and place him in the kitty box before the veterinarian comes to the house. Since we were also vaccinating the horse, I took the kitty box to the barn the night before. Prince, the cat, always, rain or shine, comes to the barn when I feed the horse just to get a few strokes of appreciation. So, I thought when he came to the barn, I would catch him and place him in the kitty box. Prince saw me take the box to the barn the night before, and probably due to some bad memory about the box, refused to come into the barn the next morning. A bit later, I did manage to catch him and put him in the box. Following the veterinarian’s visit, Prince would not come near the barn or me. I believe it was because he had lost his trust in me. It took about a week before he would allow me to touch him again. It reminded me of how I trust others. I do know that once I lose trust in someone, it takes a lot of time and dedication for that trust to be regained or earned. I will usually trust anyone unless there is a reason not to trust them. Are there times when our trust might be based on the part of town we are in or the nationality of a person, or the color of their skin? Following 9-11, I may have had some tendency to be suspicious or perhaps not trust those who might appear they be from the Middle East. The scripture says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.” What does it mean to trust in the Lord? I do not know how the Lord speaks to you, but for me, it is through my intuition, a nudge, or perhaps at times a dream. Do I always pay attention, or do I lean on my own understanding? Probably not always. I have had several experiences in which I felt I needed to do something, such as making a phone call or stopping to visit someone. In too many cases, I have not followed up but leaned on my own understanding. Then that person perhaps died or moved away, and I regretted not listening to that still small voice that was encouraging me to take some action. When we pray and ask God for help or direction, we may not like to hear, see, or feel the answer. The answer always comes, though we may not recognize it or agree with it. In the long run, it usually turns out to be the best outcome. Prayer: Dear God, help us to be more trusting of others and to trust in you. Amen. This podcast was written and recorded 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: [email protected]. 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 25:40 And the King will answer them, "Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me."The stated theme of our podcast organizers this month is "The 'And' of Faith: Grace and Good Works." Having been raised Lutheran, where Sola Gratia—by Grace Alone—is an oft-quoted slogan and Martin Luther was known for his dislike of the book of James, my first reaction to the theme was a little negative. I had to remind myself that Paul has taught me that when I accept the gift of God’s grace, my faith will grow, and it will naturally produce good works. In the parable of the sheep and goats that today’s verse is taken from, the emphasis is generally put on the verses where Jesus recounts being aided. “When I was hungry, you gave me something to eat, when I was thirsty, you gave me something to drink,” and the lesson is that all that is listed was either shared or it was not. Today, let us focus on what the sheep and goats have in common. Both the sheep who share and the goats who do not react verbally to the Lord in the same way, “When did we see you?” Both groups appear to lack the clear vision to see Jesus in others. However, one group shares what has been freely given, and the other group sees no need. Two groups share the same blindness but do not make the same choices. Everyone must make choices. In life, choices are presented to us moment by moment, day by day, year by year, decade by decade. How often do we see Jesus in others, and how often are we blind? How often do we choose to share what is part of God’s gift to us with others, and how often do we let the opportunity to share escape us? So it seems it is inevitable that we will all fail to see and share at times, and we must remember that no human will be the King that separates the sheep from the goats. It is not my mission to label the goats. But neither is it my mission to decide who is a sheep. In other words, not only is it not our role to decide who is a goat, Jesus is telling us that we can’t tell a sheep from a goat. I did not create the water that will quench someone’s thirst. But I can carry it to someone who is thirsty or not. I have found over the years that a better question than who is a goat to ask myself is – when I interact with others, am I being a sheep or a goat? We make things harder than they are. Let’s strive to make it simple. Don’t waste your energy and effort on trying to decide who is a sheep and who is a goat. But also don’t be an angry little goat butting heads with others, assuming you are right versus someone else being wrong. Don’t carry the burden that you are a judge. Instead, focus on the fact that those who have faith are led by the Shepherd. Be a sheep and accept that whatever you are faced with that you are in union with all in the herd. Leave your anxiety with a higher power. Those who have faith know that we are one and do not own anything. We are, for a time, given the grace to exist as part of God’s kingdom on earth. When we have faith, we follow the Shepherd. Let us pray today that our Shepherd will lead us to clear and abundant waters. Lord, give me the faith to walk with your herd to water, making way for all of those we encounter to drink with us along the banks of your stream of earthly water and Living Water. May we be one with your body and spirit while here in your kingdom today, 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: [email protected]. 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/.

Ephesians 2:8-10 (NIV)  For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith— and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.Grace is the rock upon which Christian life is built and sustained. Through faith, grace transforms us so that good works naturally follow. In James 2:17, we find that “faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” When grace moves us into action, we “go and do”. Good works show that our faith is genuine and transformative. Our good works are the visible evidence of an invisible faith, which is proof to the world that God’s grace lives within us! Faith is not meant to sit still. It is alive, breathing, and moving because the grace of God never leaves us where it found us. James reminds us that belief without action is lifeless. True faith compels us to “go and do.” Grace is God’s gift, freely given and unearned. But grace is never idle. When we truly receive it, it transforms our hearts, shifts our priorities, and stirs us toward acts of love, mercy, and service. It is grace that moves us to forgive when wronged, to give when it costs us something, and to speak truth even when it’s uncomfortable.The world doesn’t just need to hear what we believe—it needs to see it. Every act of kindness, every choice to love, every step toward serving another is faith made visible. It’s grace in motion. As you listen today, where is grace calling you to “go and do?” Is there someone you need to serve, forgive, or encourage? Prayer:  Heavenly Father, You have called me not only to believe but to live out my faith. Shape my heart so that my good works flow from love for You, showing the world that my faith is genuine and life-changing. May everything I do point others toward Your transforming grace. Amen. This devotional was written by Gary Hensley and read by Joey 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: [email protected]. 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/.

John 15:5 I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. My father, like many men of his generation, grew up working on his family’s farm. His father, my grandfather, had two jobs: he was a stationmaster at various train stations throughout East Tennessee, and he farmed. It wasn’t a huge farm, but he produced enough to sell or share with others. My dad recalled working alongside his father and learning how to cultivate and harvest many different plants and trees, including grape vines, from which they made jelly and juice. The grapes on these vines did not taste good at all. They weren’t cultivated to be eaten but to be used in other ways. As children, my brothers, sister, and I didn’t see much use for a grape that couldn’t be eaten, and one day, when we were visiting our grandparents, we decided the branches on the grapevine would be ideal for whatever project we were working on. Whether it was a mud fort or an imaginary sword, I don’t remember, but the four of us stripped several strong branches from the vine. Big mistake! We were soundly scolded for our actions and forbidden to touch the growing plants. Our sticks and twigs had to be those that had fallen on the ground naturally. The branches we had pulled never had a chance to mature; they couldn’t fulfill their natural purpose. They had been separated from their source of life and were therefore useless. I always remember that experience when reading this passage. We are the branches. Unless we remain connected to God through the Holy Spirit, we can do nothing. We often fool ourselves and think we can manage life, but when challenges arise, and they always do, we find we are powerless. It is in difficult times that we are painfully reminded that we can do nothing on our own. There are many forces at work in the world that would separate us from the vine: greed, seeking power or fame, being swayed by false teachings, focusing on how others are different instead of acknowledging that we are all children of God. If we allow any of these things to control us, we are ripping ourselves from God. We are dead branches. We can do nothing. It is up to us to remain connected to God through worship, Bible study, prayer, and service. We can separate ourselves from the vine through willfulness and the false belief that “I can do it myself,” but no one else can do it if we find our strength in these practices. Let us pray. Dear God, we are so thankful that you hold us close, as branches on the vine, and give us the opportunity to find life and strength in You. Help us reject the forces that would separate us from You. Guide us to be fruitful in the service of your Kingdom. 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: [email protected]. 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 are listening to Grace for All, a daily devotional podcast produced by the people of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. 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: [email protected]. 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/. 

Hebrews 10:24 (ESV) And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works. My objective today is to take this simple, straightforward message and complicate it to the point that you will never forget it. Now you might be saying, “What could possibly be hard about the phrase, Let us consider how to stir up one another? '” If you ask my wife, this is very clear; to stir is a cooking term. Stirring helps dissolve particles like sugar or salt into a solvent like water. Stirring creates a homogenous mixture by evenly distributing ingredients. It is also essential to keep things from sticking or cooking unevenly. And if you take a scientific approach to your cooking, you know that stirring can increase the rate of chemical reactions by increasing the frequency of collisions between reactant molecules. At this point, I would say thank you, dear, for those four different definitions. Although she is correct, I see it differently. You see, my friend used to frequently hand me a wooden spoon and say, “Owen, you are just trying to stir up trouble.” It had nothing to do with cooking. So, what do you do for clarity when you are thinking about a scripture? For me, I look at other translations. The New International Version says we should spur one another on. Does this mean cowboy spurs? Ouch. The New Revised Standard Version says we should provoke one another. This doesn’t sound much nicer than getting spurred. The King James Version says consider one another to provoke. The Common English Bible says to consider each other carefully. The Amplified Bible moves to consider thoughtfully how we may encourage. It appears we have moved from my stirring up trouble to my wife’s blending and evenly mixing together.  Not to give up yet, it occurs to me that we could both have effective methods to bring people together if we remain focused on the true end state of working together with faith and good works. Many of the translations say love and good works; either expression is good with me. Regardless of our initial differences, if we act in love by doing good works together, we will form a bond (perhaps a chemical reaction) that transforms us into a stronger relationship with Christ and our neighbor. One final translation for you. Let us keep holding one another in our thoughts, such that an explosion of love and good works results. Will you pray with me? Father God, bring us together in relationship with you and each other such that we can demonstrate our faith by doing good works for our neighbors. May all that we do glorify our God. Amen. 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: [email protected]. 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 25:40 The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me! Just before saying these words, Jesus had told the parable of the sheep and the goats. In Chapter 24 and 25 of Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus is sitting alone with his disciples on the Mt. of Olives, telling them of the time to come – a time in the future when the Temple would be destroyed, nation would rise against nation, famines and earthquakes would be in various places, and many would turn away from the faith and betray and hate each other. He told them that because of the increase in wickedness, the LOVE of most will grow cold. He told them of the future time when the abomination that causes desolation will stand in the holy place. He goes on to say that, as in the days of Noah, before the flood, when people were living large, paying no attention to God, the end will come. In Chapter 25, he told them to keep watch, because you do not know the hour or the day. At that hour, on that day, the Son of Man will come in Glory with ALL the angels with him. He said that ALL nations, ALL people will be gathered before Him and separated on His right and left – the sheep (those who LOVE and worship him) will stand on his right and the goats (those who are cursed because they do not LOVE and worship him) will stand on His left. As he spoke to them in this final judgment, he spoke the words from today’s scripture – “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” I think we all want to be on his right that day! It can be easy to help our siblings – brothers and sisters from the family we grew up in, siblings from the same parents – even when we have resentments or anger pushing us apart. Family generally binds us. But Jesus was talking about all our human siblings! Perhaps we find it simple to think of our Christian brothers and sisters too. But Jesus was referring to ALL our human brothers and sisters, all God’s children. From that viewpoint, the least of these encompasses those in need all over the world! Just look at the news and you will find hundreds of thousands of the least of these brothers and sisters. We must consider what Jesus said in Matthew 19:21 – “If you want to be perfect, sell all you have, give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven, then come and follow me.” I don’t know if he meant that literally, but what if he did? In America, we are a nation of plenty. We have great wealth. I’ll bet most people hearing my voice today have good houses filled with things of comfort and pantries full of food. When we turn on the news and see war-torn villages around the world, devastation in our own country from disasters and poverty, are we immediately reaching out to do for our fellow humans, our human brothers and sisters across the world? I’ll wager that not many of us would sell all we have and give to the poor to follow Jesus. And not enough of us put food in that blessing box outside our church doors, to feed our homeless brothers and sisters. Not enough of us skip the luxuries of dining out, to write a weekly check to the Community Food Connection or Welcome Table, or to give to the International Rescue Committee, to send food to our hungry brothers and sisters locally and in Gaza or Afghanistan…food for Jesus! Perhaps this modern perspective on our brothers and sisters in need will give us pause and prod us to feed the least of these - to feed Jesus more richly and more often. Please pray with me. Great loving God, remind me with every bite I take, to think of your hungry children next door, down the street, and across the world. Steer me to generously share my blessings with You and all of them. 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: [email protected]. 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/. 

Galatians 6:9 (NIV) Let us not grow weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. I’m sure we’re all familiar with the phrase “good things come to those who wait.” I feel this also goes hand in hand with the phrase “patience is a virtue.”  It can often be exhausting to feel that you are constantly doing good towards others to get nothing in return; on the contrary, there are some cases where doing charitable acts towards others paves the way for more acts to be done in the future, in other words, setting off a “domino effect” of sorts or serving as inspiration. While it can be easy to grow impatient from doing good deeds and not seeing our efforts bear fruit right away, this does not always mean that they will not bear fruit. They can often lead to a returned favor down the line, or as previously mentioned, a beginning of a series of charitable acts to be done. So, in these instances, it can be crucial to practice patience and remember that it truly is a virtue and that good things can come to those who wait, so long as we have the willingness to wait. Let’s pray: God, thank you for showing us that patience is a virtue and that while doing good can often lead us to feel weary, this is not always the case, as our efforts may soon bear fruit if we remain strong in doing good and have the willingness to wait. Help us to always remember this and have the willingness to be your faithful servants. Amen. This devotional 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: [email protected]. 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/. 

Numbers 20:8 (NIV): Take the staff, and you and your brother Aaron gather the assembly together. Speak to that rock before their eyes, and it will pour out its water. You will bring water out of the rock for the community so they and their livestock can drink. Psalm 94:22 (NIV) But the LORD has become my fortress, and my God the rock in whom I take refuge. God gave special significance to the rock when he commanded Moses to strike a rock in the desert and provide water for the Israelites. In many other verses, especially in Psalms, God is addressed as a rock, a firm foundation, and a fortress for safety. According to Bible Gateway, there are 149 references to the word ‘rock’ in both the Old and New Testaments. In many of the references, the rock is a symbol of God. It represents strength, salvation, and comfort against enemies. I never thought much about the significance of rocks until 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic stopped the world in its tracks and left us isolated from each other. At that time, Tom and I had just moved to Asbury Place in Maryville, a senior living community. We knew a few people here, and most avenues for connecting were cut off. On top of that, Tom was facing a difficult open-heart surgery in June of 2020. It was an isolated and anxious time. My most frequent activity was long walks around the Asbury campus. Over that period, I began to notice rocks on the edges of walkways that had been painted in bright colors. Often, they had words written on them such as ‘LOVE,’ ‘COURAGE,’ ‘WAIT,’ ‘JESUS LOVES ME,’ ‘HOLD ON,’ ‘SOON,’ ‘PEACE,’ and ‘BE STILL.’ They were painted with happy faces, flowers, animals, and colorful designs, and they were scattered around the Assisted Living facility, as well as lakeside and near the Bistro. All the rocks were smooth and rounded and felt solid in the palm of my hand. I began to search for them as I took my walks, and found comfort in these messages from the isolated people all around me. Later that year, after Tom recovered from his surgery, we managed a gathering with our children and grandchildren, and I brought a kit with smooth rocks, paints, and design suggestions. We found joy painting rocks together. I arranged them on a platter and they still adorn my living room table. They bring happy memories. I have since learned that the painted rocks were a worldwide phenomenon. During the pandemic years, trails and parks in California and Calgary were lined with hundreds of painted rocks. A “Kindness Rocks” project that started in 2015 went viral and led to rocks being left in random public places for people to carry home or to another site. The rocks were a quiet way of staying connected with our fellow human beings. In the Old Testament book of Numbers, God showed love for the Israelites by bringing living water out of a massive rock. The rocks I found during the pandemic years were smaller, but they also reflected God’s love for the human community. In a symbolic way, they brought water to our thirsty souls. Let us pray: “Dear Lord, we thank you for your refuge during hard times. We thank you for a solid rock we can hold in our hands and feel your love and protection. You are our rock and our fortress. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen. This devotional 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: [email protected]. 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/.

Hebrews 10:24 (NRSV) And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds. Picture something with me. Imagine you're stirring a pot of soup on the stove. You're not just mindlessly moving that spoon around - you're being intentional, making sure nothing sticks to the bottom, bringing up the flavors from the depths. That word "provoke" in our verse? In the original Greek, it's paroxysmos - it's where we get our word "paroxysm." It means to stir up, to incite, to sharpen like iron sharpening iron.  The writer of Hebrews is addressing a community that's getting tired. They're facing persecution, some have stopped gathering together, and their initial enthusiasm for following Jesus is waning. The author isn't giving them a gentle pat on the head - he's calling them to actively, intentionally stir each other up toward love and good works.  This verse sits right in the heart of one of the most encouraging passages in all of Scripture. Just before this, the writer reminds them that they have the confidence to enter God's presence through Christ. Just after, he urges them not to neglect meeting together. It's all connected - our relationship with God, our responsibility to each other, and our witness to the world.  John Wesley understood this deeply. He organized early Methodists into small groups called "classes," where they would meet weekly to ask each other the hard questions: "How is it with your soul? Where have you seen God this week? How can we help you grow?" Wesley knew that faith grows best in community, where we're lovingly challenged and supported. But here's the thing - this isn't about criticism or judgment. The goal isn't to provoke each other to guilt or shame. It's to stir up love and good deeds. We're called to see the potential in each other, to fan the flames of compassion and service that God has already placed in our hearts. Do you know anyone who needs some stirring? Maybe it's a friend who has lost their way, a family member who has forgotten their gifts, or a fellow believer who has grown complacent. How might God use you to lovingly provoke them toward the love and good works they were created for? And remember - this stirring goes both ways. While we consider how to encourage others, we need to remain open to being stirred ourselves. Sometimes God uses the most unlikely people to remind us of our calling, to challenge us when we've settled into comfortable routines, or to inspire us when our own fire is burning low. The early Methodist movement spread like wildfire because ordinary people took seriously this call to stir one another up. They didn't wait for the perfect moment or the right credentials. They simply asked each other honest questions, shared their struggles, celebrated their victories, and held each other accountable with grace and love. Remember, we're not just individuals trying to make it on our own. We're part of something bigger - a community called to lift each other up and point each other toward Christ. In a world that often feels divided and disconnected, what a powerful witness it is when people see Christians genuinely caring for each other's spiritual growth. Father, stir our hearts today and help us see those around us through your eyes. Use us to kindle love and good works in others, and keep us open to being stirred by your Spirit. 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: [email protected]. 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/.

Proverbs 15:18 A hot-tempered person stirs up conflict, while one who is patient calms a quarrel. When I read this verse, I immediately think about my grandmother, who was a master at using Southern phrases to get a point across. “ Stirring the pot” was one of her favorites and it took me a while as a child to figure out exactly what she meant when she said it. When you Google this phrase, it says in a social context it refers to intentionally creating or escalating conflict, drama, or tension, often to achieve a specific goal or out of malicious intent. The psychology behind it involves various motivations, including a desire for control, a need to displace anger or resentment, or manipulative tactics for self-promotion or gaining an advantage. It can also stem from boredom, insecurity, or a lack of empathy. I’ve known some pot-stirrers in my time. And I bet you have too. In fact, I may have actually “stirred the pot” on occasion myself. But I felt I was justified when I did it to bring attention to a perceived injustice. In my opinion, most folks who stir up conflict find pleasure in other people's misfortune and sadness. There’s definitely something missing in their lives, and they’re resentful and jealous of anything good happening to someone else. Others like to sit back and enjoy the chaos they’ve created. Patience really can diffuse a lot of escalating situations. In the Bible, it is presented as a virtue stemming from God’s character and empowered by the Holy Spirit. It’s not about waiting passively, but trusting in God’s timing and plan. God’s patience with us encourages us to extend Grace and be patient with others. While it can be difficult to be patient in times of trial or discord, we are reminded through Christ that patience is a virtue and a fruit of the Spirit. The next time I’m in a stressful conflict, I’m going to remember this verse and hopefully bring the dispute to a manageable discussion. This devotion was written by Virginia Hardwick Kerr 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: [email protected]. 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 people of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. 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: [email protected]. 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/. 

Ephesians 4:2 (NLT) 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: [email protected]. 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/. 

Nehemiah 8:10 Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” I have, unfortunately, heard this verse quoted by well-meaning people as they apologize for their tears at the loss of one they loved. They will say, “I know I shouldn’t grieve, for the joy of the Lord is my strength.” When you understand the setting in which Nehemiah spoke these words, you come to understand that it is saying nothing about what we should feel at such moments in our lives. The people of Israel had returned from exile in Babylon. Ezra and Nehemiah are engaged with the people in rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem.  Nehemiah brings the people together to hear the words of Moses. He wants them to remember all that God had done for them, why they were a special, called-apart people, and what God required from them.  As Ezrah reads and explains Moses’ words, some began to weep because they realized that they were not following God’s word. Nehemiah says, “Do not weep, this day is Holy to the Lord. Eat, send food to those who do not have any. Don’t be sad because the joy from the Lord is your strength.” They're coming to an awareness of their failings and with it the resolve to do better should be a time of joy, not sadness.  This reminds me of when our children were small. They had committed some infraction.  We would sit down and talk about what they had done, why it was wrong, and the consequences of their actions.  Usually, after some tears, but more importantly, requests for forgiveness and pledges to do better, we would hug and in that moment they felt reassured and went away, not in sorrow, but in joy.   This warm hug is what God offers to each of us.  When we confess, we are not to dwell on our mistakes with tears and grief, but instead to hear the words of forgiveness and love.  And, like my children, we are to turn to the future filled with joy. Through God’s forgiveness, we are strengthened to face the future and, like the people of Israel, we are encouraged to share this joy with others. Let us pray:  Loving God, we are so grateful that you love us, forgive us, and teach us.  Remind us when we fail that you are with us and in your presence, and we find strength and joy. AMEN. This devotional was written by Bill Green and read by Joey 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: [email protected]. 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/.

Isaiah 41: 13  For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, “Do not fear, I will help you." Have you ever thought about how much God loves us? I do think about His love often, especially since my husband passed away and I no longer have his support and have to make all decisions myself. This verse of scripture was a comfort to me, knowing God would be walking beside me, holding my hand and leading me. God does lead us when we feel alone, when we have lost a loved one, or when we feel we cannot face another day, too weary to go on. He is always ready to take our hand and lead us. How many times have we reached out to other sources: a friend self-help book or sometimes a stranger? These are all good, but God is ready to take us by the hand and help us. Do we take Jesus‘ love and compassion for granted? When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior and give our heart to him, He is ready to help us in every situation. Have you ever had someone come to you so burdened and did not know what to do? That is when we ask them if they prayed about this and asked God to help them. God loves us so much. He knows everything about us--good and bad--but He loves us anyway! He even gathers our tears and stores them in a bottle. He even prays for us. If Jesus loves us so much, should we not love Him more? As a child of our Lord we should strive to love as He does and let our actions reflect His love in our daily lives, in how we worship Him, in how we serve Him, and how we treat others. Jesus has offered us his hand. It is up to us to take it. He is a loving and amazing God. Would you pray with me? Oh Lord, thank you for always being near to me to hold my hand and lead me in the right way. Help me to love and serve you every day. Amen. Today’s devotion was written by Ralphine Hood 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: [email protected]. 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/. 

1 Peter 3:15-16 (ESV) But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. The Boy Scout motto is "Be Prepared," and their slogan is "Do A Good Deed Daily." I was a Boy Scout for many years, and I tried to honor both of those, but in all honesty, I wasn't always successful. The apostle Peter was no Boy Scout. This is the guy who cut off a soldier's ear when they came to arrest Jesus, then denied knowing him three times before the rooster crowed. He’s the impulsive fisherman who sank trying to walk on water because his faith wavered. Yet here he is, decades later, seemingly adopting the Boy Scout motto "Be Prepared" but applying it to something far more important than camping, first aid, or merit badges. Peter wrote this letter to Christians scattered across Asia Minor who were facing persecution. These weren't people living comfortable lives where everyone respected their beliefs. They were dealing with slander and hostility because of their faith. In that context, Peter's words carry real weight. He's talking about real people facing real opposition.  The phrase "always being prepared" comes from a Greek word meaning "ready for action," much like a soldier prepared for battle. But notice what kind of battle this is. We're not preparing to attack anyone. We're preparing to give a reason for our hope. In a world full of cynicism and despair, people notice when someone has genuine hope, and they want to know where it comes from. The hope Peter talks about isn't wishful thinking or a positive attitude. This is a confident expectation that God is good, that Jesus really did rise from the dead, and that our lives have purpose beyond what we can see. It's hope that comes from the Holy Spirit working in us— another fruit of the Spirit. But here's what I love most: the way we're supposed to share this hope. Peter says to do it "with gentleness and respect." Coming from the guy who once grabbed a sword and started swinging, that's significant. We don't bludgeon people with truth or shame them into belief. We share our hope gently, with respect for their dignity as human beings made in God's image. Peter knows people are watching how we live more than listening to what we say. When our lives don't match our words, it gives ammunition to critics. But when we live with integrity, when our hope shows up in how we handle hard circumstances, it creates questions that only the gospel can answer. Maybe you're thinking, "I'm not ready to give an answer about anything." But Peter isn't asking you to become a theologian. He's asking you to be ready to share your story—what God has done in your life, why you have hope when others don't. That's something only you can tell, and it's more powerful than any argument. So be prepared. Prayer: Father, help us honor Christ in our hearts and be ready to share the hope we have in him. Give us gentleness and respect when we speak, and help our lives reflect your love. 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: [email protected]. 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/.

Luke 19:1-10 (NIV) Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. A man named Zacchaeus was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short, he could not see over the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way. When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.” But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.” Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” We often hear that God doesn’t wait for us to come to Him but meets us where we are. Throughout Jesus’ ministry, he didn’t wait for people to come to him; he met them where they were. He didn’t wait for them to come to the synagogue or temple. He met them at the lakeshore, on the road, on the mountain, in their homes, wherever they were. God continues to meet us today where we are, physically, mentally, emotionally, and in every other way. He will meet us in our chosen place of worship, but he doesn’t wait for us to come there. But there is a but! Isn’t there always! In reading a daily devotional recently, I was reminded of the rest of the story. While God meets us where we are, He doesn’t leave us there. In our scripture today, Jesus met Zacchaeus on the road. Zacchaeus changed not only the way he saw himself and the things he had done, but he also made a change in his life. Matthew left the table where he was collecting taxes. Several of the apostles left their fishing nets. He met Saul on the road to Damascus. There are many more examples both in the Bible and in the world around us. So, having met God, where is He leading each one of us today? What is He asking each of us to do today? No matter how big or small it seems, if God is asking, it is important. If we don’t respond, who will? Prayer: Dear God, help me today to take time to feel your presence and to listen to what you have to say and then to respond in the way that pleases you. This devotion was written by Alvin Jenkins 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: [email protected]. 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/.

Proverbs 11:17 Those who are kind reward themselves, but the cruel do themselves harm. There is a popular quote, and I hope you’ll forgive me if the way I report it is not exactly how you have heard it. And I hope you’ll forgive me, too, if you know it to be from a particular source. You see, it’s actually attributed to many people — a quick Google search revealed attribution to everyone from Buddha to Saint Augustine to Christian author Joanna Weaver to Irish actor Malachy McCourt. In any case, the quote goes something like this: “Holding on to hatred is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die.” That seems to be closely akin to the message the author of Proverbs is trying to convey. When we are kind to others, we are in turn helping ourselves. And when we are hurtful toward others, we are actually hurting ourselves, or drinking the poison, as it may be. But to be clear, I really don’t think the point the author of Proverbs is making is to be kind to others in order to be kind to one’s self. Helping ourselves should be a by-product, not a goal. One of my favorite podcasts (after Grace for All, of course!) is Hidden Brain. This is an exploration of the world through the lens of the social sciences. Host Shankar Vedantam invites incredibly intelligent people to his show to discuss, well, being human in this complex world. I highly recommend that you check out this podcast. In April 2023, Shankar hosted psychologist Amit Kumar on an episode discussing why we are reluctant to be kind to one another. While the whole episode is worth your time, a few of the takeaways include that people often worry about getting the details of their particular kindness just right, but recipients seem to care much more about the effort than the act. Further, small acts of kindness that might be inconsequential to the giver can be monumental to the recipient. When we share a kind word or make a small expression of warmth, we often are actually helping others more than we realize. And this chasm between how the giver and the recipient perceive the act creates what Kumar refers to as the Prosociality Paradox. In this paradox, even though the act of kindness is good for both us and others, we are reluctant to behave in this way since givers of kindness worry about the details and minimize the effect. But it even goes further: this phenomenon also causes us to be reluctant to ask others for kindness that they could provide, even though studies show that we are more than happy to help others when we are able to do so, and we want to feel helpful. As followers of Christ who are trying to demonstrate the fruits of the Spirit, we must be ever more intentional about sharing that kindness, no matter how great or small it may be. We must not worry so much about getting every detail right, as much as getting our intentions right. In short, we must overcome any obstacles from our efforts to make the world kinder. The podcast goes on to describe the pay-it-forward effect, which documents examples of how one act of kindness spurs another. Friends, let us make this society kinder and kinder still, and may nothing, least of all ourselves, get in our way. Let us pray. Holy Spirit of God, you are the source of kindness. Let us channel that in our lives to all who need it, no matter how great or small the need. Help us to not worry so much about how to do so, but help us feel strengthened in you to not be reluctant to do so. We pray this in Christ’s name, amen.This devotion was written and read by Dwight DockeryGrace 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: [email protected]. 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 the Saturday episode of the Grace for All podcast. Thank you for joining us today. Saturday is a special time when we take a few moments to review the scriptures that we have cited in the episodes this week. 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: [email protected]. 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/. 

2 Timothy 2:13 If we are faithless, he remains faithful, for he cannot disown himself. Sometimes I think if I were God, I would have given up on people a long time ago.  Do you ever feel that way?  As if the rest of the world has quit trying, and you might as well, too? My walk with Jesus has led me through many seasons—seasons filled with hope and gratitude, seasons rich with promise and potential, seasons in which my spirit was so attuned to Christ I could see evidence of God’s presence everywhere I looked. There have been seasons of fear and uncertainty, seasons heavy with weariness, seasons of spiritual drought in which I could not seem to find God, no matter how hard I tried.  And then there have been times when I was tempted to give up trying altogether, because the future seemed bleak, the world seemed to be moving backward in time rather than forward, and by comparison, my own efforts seemed so small. In such seasons, I want to throw in the towel, throw up my hands, and just give up on doing my part to try to make the world a better place.  The apostle Paul’s words to his protégé, Timothy, offer a lifeline in moments like these. Paul encourages Timothy to persevere, to keep running the race of faith despite every obstacle. Paul knows the mix of triumph and tribulation, delight and despair, energy and exhaustion of following in Jesus’ footsteps.   And to steady Timothy—and us—he offers a trustworthy saying: Remember, even though you may give up, God never does.  That’s not who God is.   Or, as The Message translation puts it, “If we give up on him, he does not give up—for there’s no way he can be false to himself.” Faith is the fruit of the Spirit because God is faithful, and God cannot be otherwise. Today, Paul is reminding us that when our faith wavers, we can find hope in God’s unwavering faithfulness.  No matter what, God remains steadfast and true.  Let us pray:  Faithful God, when we lose heart, when out of sadness or frustration or weariness we feel like giving up, help us, like Timothy, remember this “trustworthy saying.” Remind us of your faithfulness across all generations.  May we draw near to you and receive the gift of faith, the fruit of your Holy Spirit. 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: [email protected]. 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/.

John 8:54-59  Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, he of whom you say, ‘He is our God,’ though you do not know him. But I know him, if I would say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you. But I do know him and keep his word. Your ancestor Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day; he saw it and was glad.” Then the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and you have seen Abraham?” Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, before Abraham was, I am.” So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple. To say the least, the Pharisees had a very contentious relationship with Jesus. They lived at the pinnacle of society, and they saw Jesus as a direct threat to their status, which was highly vaunted in respect to the everyday person of that time. They connected the dots immediately to Exodus 3:14 “I am that I am” as was revealed to Moses, and thus their virulent reaction. As Christians, we know and understand that Jesus was there with the Father from the beginning. In my own Christian walk, the more I study, the more seamless is the link between the Old and New Testaments. The verses in this podcast act as Christ’s segue to his other “I am” statements to make it so clear to the masses as to who he really was. Here’s a sampling of some of those to present clear pictures to the people that they could relate to in their daily lives: John 6:35 “I am the bread of life.” We all get hungry! We all can relate to that! Jesus is our spiritual sustenance. He will nurture and sustain us, in this life and the next. John 8:12 “I am the light of the world.” We all need to find our way, day or night! It was the same back then. At that time, you had a candle or a torch. Today we have any kind of flashlight, street light, or beacon to show the way, but if we listen to Jesus, God’s only son, his messenger sent here to earth, then we can find the way. The way is not always easy. There can be gloom, fog, rain, and hidden obstacles! Jesus is there for us! We can take our prayers of worry, concern, and/or gratitude to Him. He and his love are there for us. He commands us to share that same love with our brothers and sisters here on this earth. In doing so He will know us and gather us into heaven with the greeting of “Welcome, good and faithful servant! Even when you did those kind things to the least of them, you did it upon me!” Isn’t that really what it’s all about? Let us pray: Heavenly Father, thank you for loving us so much that you sent your only Son to teach to love and to carry away the burden of our sin with His death on the cross. Give us the compassion to love one and other as you love us. Amen. This devotional 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: [email protected]. 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/.