Grace for All

Listen to a remix of music and the Scripture readings from this past week's devotional episodes.

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/.

I want you to imagine that you receive an email from your bank this morning with startling and wonderful news.  It announces that an anonymous donor has decided to deposit into your account 86,400 pennies a day for as long as you live.  You think that this has to be a scam of some sort, but the calculator in your mind goes to work:  86,400 pennies is $864 a day.  Every day.  That’s – let’s see: $6,048 a week.  Every week.  That’s $314,496 a year, every year for as long as you live.  It’s like winning the lottery!  Reality sets in, but you call the bank anyway and discover that it’s true.  So you ask the bank official, “What’s the catch?”  “There is no catch,” he says, “but there is one stipulation: you must spend the money the day you receive it.  Every morning $864 will be deposited in your account, but every evening the account will be zeroed out.  What you don’t spend you will lose.”

You and I have an anonymous donor, actually not anonymous at all, who deposits in the account of your life and mine 86,400 seconds every day.  My seconds are mine to spend however I choose.  The donor has suggested how I should spend that time but there are no requirements.  I get to decide how to spend mine.  You get to decide how to spend yours.

Our scripture verse tells us what to do with today: rejoice, be glad.  Think about this: the only day you can be happy is today.  You can’t choose to be happy yesterday.  We may someday have the opportunity to be happy in the future but we don’t have tomorrow yet.

Many times I have failed to appreciate and enjoy the day because I was fretting about something in the past.  Yesterday was robbing me of today.  Other times I have missed the joy because of my concerns about the future.  Tomorrow was robbing me of today.

Remember, Jesus taught us in the model prayer to ask: “…give us this day our daily bread.”  That’s how life comes – one day at a time.  Today is the only chance you have to be happy.  Take it.  Today.  Because this is the day the Lord has made we will rejoice and be glad!

Dear God, forgive us when we lose sight of the precious, unrepeatable miracle that is today.  And let us commit to use it as you intended!  In the name of Jesus, Amen.

This devotional was written and recorded by Herb Sadler.

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

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: [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/.

In today’s world, people seem to need to be heard, to get an immediate response to a text message, to get a live person to answer our call, to read our blogs, to read and like our Facebook posts, to agree with our pontifications. But is being heard the same as being listened to? 

The ancient writer of today’s scripture is giving us some very modern advice: we should be slow to speak and quick to listen.

Maybe in 2024 we could give others the gift of listening, truly listening to them. Agreement is not the goal, rather it is the respecting and valuing of others. Perhaps, with time, they might even reciprocate. 

When my spouse and I first met, we were strangers, each with decades of different life experiences. We each had our story to tell. And tell it we did. We walked, just the two of us, for miles nearly every day.  Questions were asked and responses were listened to. Preconceived notions of relationships and parenting and work and religion softened when presented in context. Listening did not always result in agreement; but it did evolve into respect and appreciation. 

Lord, there is no disagreement that we live in a divided world and nation. But, through Christ’s example, we can do our part to reduce that divide. Help us resolve to give to others our gift of listening to them, not through mass media, but one-on-one, in our homes and neighborhoods, and organizations. This is the method Christ used and taught us by example. 

This devotional was written by Roger Wilson 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/.

What is a word fitly spoken? I believe a word fitly spoken is the right word or words spoken at the right time for the right reason. My daughters would also add and in the right tone of voice. It might be some simple as “please” or “thank you.”

Timing can also be very important.

For example, when you are on the way out the door for some event, it is not the right time to ask, “Are you sure you want to wear THAT?” More appropriate, whether true or not, “I really like that outfit.”

Everyone likes to be affirmed. Many times, we might think of something positive to say to someone, but do not. Realizing how much we may enjoy words of affirmation; we should look for opportunities to make genuine words of affirmation to others. I can recall early in my career how encouraging words of affirmation were to my professional development. Words of affirmation can be especially meaningful to children and young people.

There are times when a word fitly spoken might be no words at all, but simply your presence.

There are times when trying to console someone, especially in the loss of a loved one, our presence might be as important if not more important than what we might say. Sometimes we are afraid of the silence when it might be of the most help.

Our words need to be genuine. Children, especially youth, can tell when our words are genuine or not genuine. So, we need to be careful with our words and make sure we are speaking the truth.

So remember to choose our words carefully, because once said, it is impossible to take them back.

Dear Lord, help us to try to say the right words at the right time for the right reasons. Amen

This devotional was written by Emmet Rawls 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/.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: [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/.

Pain and suffering are an unavoidable part of life on earth. And as we walk this earth in 2024 we are likely to continue walking through “the valley of the shadow of death,” surrounded by things we wish we could avoid or completely eliminate from our lives. But try as we might, we cannot always avoid the deep, dangerous valleys and the shadows of death. Loved ones are diagnosed with terminal diseases, terrible accidents happen to dear friends, hatred between political opponents intensifies and escalates into violence, bombs fall on innocent people, children die in war torn places, and we feel hopelessness building inside.

We want to trust God more and plenty of times we do, but in the hardest times, oof - we might falter - and that is not what we want!

To trust God more we need to develop and strengthen our relationship with Him, and that requires more time with God in prayer and in His Word. In that time with Him, he will teach us to trust Him and to live in His peace when the hard times come.

We need to become so trusting of God, that when terrible things happen, we can say as Job did in chapter 13:15 - “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him.”

Trust like that must be built up high and reinforced like a siege wall! Walls are built one brick at a time; one hour at a time. And that’s just how we must build up our Trust in God - one brick, one hour, at a time.

Yet there are so many distractions and responsibilities to contend with! Hour after hour, day after day, we spend our time on the things of the world.

According to recent research that I found online as of Mar. 10, 2023, the average American spends 7 hours and 4 minutes staring at some kind of screen each day.

You can check your own screen time on your phone. Add that time to your TV time, computer time and iPad time.

Once you’ve totaled up that time, compare the total to the total number of hours you spend each day reading and studying the Bible, and praying in solitude. When comparing the God time to screen time, note which one is highest.

Most of us find the screen time far outweighs the God time!

• So how can we trust God more than the news, when we are spending more time with online sources than we are spending with God?
• How can we lean on God instead of our own understanding, when we are feeding our understanding with more food of the world, than food from God?

If we spend more time with God to reinforce our relationship with Him, our trust will grow. If we fall short on God time, our trust will weaken through Neglect and it will begin to crumble!

With increased time devoted to being in God’s presence, through prayer, Bible study and meditation, and group study with other Christians, our trust in God grows.

We learn that God is our strength and hope and we learn to patiently wait for Him. Our trust grows and soon we can say like Proverbs 3:5-6 - "I trust in the Lord with all my heart and lean not on my own understanding; in all my ways I submit to him, and he will make my paths straight."

Dear Lord, give us the focus and dedication to give you more time than we give to the noise of the world. Help us to submit to you and to trust you more than we trust ourselves. In Jesus name we pray. Amen!

This devotion was written and read by Bernice Howard.

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

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: [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/.

Here we find that the prophet Elijah is seeking God on Mount Horeb. Although he encountered spectacular and dangerous displays of nature’s power, it was in the gentle whisper—that still, small voice—that he received God’s guidance.

Today, we explore the benefit of listening to the still, small voice of God in our lives. In our fast-paced and busy lives, it’s common to become overwhelmed by the demands of the modern world. Many times we search for God in grand places and at dramatic events. But God’s voice and guidance often come as a gentle whisper—easily overlooked in the chaos of life.

Finding that still, small voice requires a heart and a mind that is attuned to His presence and a spirit that is ready to listen. God’s still, small voice provides direction, comfort, and assurance. It is a source of wisdom and guidance, helping us navigate life’s challenges and make decisions in accordance with his will.

Today in your daily routine try to set aside an intentional time for silence and reflection. Create space for God to speak to your heart and listen for that “gentle whisper.” Also, if possible, this week spend time in nature, where quietness helps to discern the still, small voice of God.

For me, that place is the Great Smoky Mountain National Park close to my home.

Lord, we acknowledge that Your voice often comes as a whisper, easily overshadowed by the noise of the world. Grant us the wisdom and sensitivity to hear Your still, small voice in our lives. Amen.

This devotional was written by Gary Hensley 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/.

Listen to a mix of music and Scripture readings from the previous week's devotional episodes.

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/.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: [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/.

Our scripture today comes from the Gospel of John.

At one point during his ministry on earth, Jesus called Peter “a rock“ and said that Peter would be the foundation of his church. Not long after that, Peter was put to the test, and he failed spectacularly. When Jesus was arrested and tried, Peter denied Jesus three times.

What happened to that man who was supposed to be the Rock, who was supposed to be the foundation of the new religion and new life that Christ wanted to introduce?

In this passage, we see Christ, going to some length to redeem Peter. Yes, Peter denied Christ. It was no accident. He had done it three times. So here, Jesus asks Peter three times, “Do you love me?“ Of course he does, Peter says why do you keep asking?

This scene tells us something about our own lives and our relationship to Christ. We failed spectacularly, not just once but many times. We do the wrong thing. We say the wrong thing. We let our cowardice overcomer courage.

And yet, for every time we fail, Christ offers us a way back. Do you love me? That’s the question he continues to ask. Of course, we do. Then feed my sheep, he says. Do not just confess yourself, but put your confession into action. Feed my sheep.

Dear Lord, our hearts are full to overflowing with the thought that, no matter what we have done or where we have stayed in our life, you constantly offer us a way back to us. Help us to respond to your grace and love with humble and contrite hearts. Amen.

Today’s devotion was written by Jim Stovall and read by Donn King.

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

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: [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/.