Grace for All

With a Thankful Heart 

(our theme for November)

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/. 

With a Thankful Heart  

(our theme for November)

Our scripture focus today is Matthew 14:19, part of a very familiar story for many.

Then Jesus told the people to sit down on the grass.  And he took 5 loaves and 2 fish, looked up toward heaven, and asked God’s blessing on the food.  Breaking the loaves into pieces, he gave some of the bread and fish to each disciple, and the disciples gave them to the people.

 

Each time I hear this story, I am reminded of a very special moment when this story came to life right in front of me.  While serving on the ministry staff at First Church, I was blessed to be a part of an annual youth retreat, Resurrection.  Sharing in this event with our youth was such a moving experience.  Of course, the planning, long hours, patience and stamina required were not always easy.  The joy of watching our youth engaged with their faith, growing and seeking a deeper relationship with Christ was priceless.  

On one very holy weekend in 1992, the main speaker was the Rev. James King from the Nashville area.  He is now a retired Bishop.  His personality was a great match for all of us.  Smart, funny, inspiring and he brought our faith alive in those sessions.  There were about 5000 youth and leaders in attendance.  First Church had nearly 90 attending.  It was an amazing experience.

Sunday mornings at Resurrection included one final session centering around worship and communion.  Sometimes the final session had less in attendance as churches from other states or inclement weather made returning home more difficult. This year, the conference center was full for the final session.  The altar was filled with communion elements, the bread and wine arranged filling every open space on the altar.  Even that sight was moving.  I am sure it was no easy task to prepare to serve 5000 participants at multiple stations around the room, all beginning at the altar.  Great efforts had been made to assure for ample stations and no confusion during this part of the service. 

As the elements were blessed and the bread and juice were delivered to their stations, no one gave a thought to the possibility that there might not be enough.  Minds and hearts were focused on receiving communion and sharing this time together.  However, quickly it became evident that there was not enough bread to serve everyone.  You could feel the energy in the room as contributors – disciples- came forward.  Bread was offered in the form of pringles, goldfish, saltines and a few loaves of bread (one of the leaders had run to the store next door when he realized there might be an issue).  Though, truth be told, these gifts were meager by themselves, they had been offered for the good of all and they were truly multiplied. When communion was complete and the elements were returned to the altar, the table was overflowing with bread.  The congregation, disciples and followers had stepped up and shared what they had.  Just as Christ called the disciples to serve the multitude, this gathering of believers was also called to feed the “crowd of youth” with what appeared to be “not enough”.  By sharing what they had, Resurrection 92 was fed and nurtured.

There were many misty eyes and feelings of awe on that morning.  It’s one spiritual experience I will never forget and I have often shared with others.  My heart was so full.

However, that is not the end of the story for me.  At that time, I was attending classes in preparation to be consecrated as a Diaconal minister.  These classes were held at Scarritt Bennett Center in Nashville.  I left Gatlinburg that Sunday destined for Nashville and two weeks of intense classwork and worship.  I might have been a bit sleep deprived, but I was so filled with a soaring spirit.  When I arrived in Nashville I discovered that one of my classmates had also attended Resurrection.  We told everyone about the communion experience!  As we spoke about the weekend, we discovered that the church Rev King served was close by.  The next Sunday we filled up my van and headed there to worship.  It was amazing.  Our little crew filled an entire pew.  As expected, the worship service and sermon were meaningful and our “guests” were glad they came.  However, what we weren’t prepared for was that Rev King told “our story”, the story of overflowing communion at Resurrection.  We had never considered his perspective.  He was overcome with emotion as he shared that he too feared there was not enough and then he saw followers appearing from every corner and finally an altar filled, in the end, overflowing with the bread of life.  He saw wonder and tears, youth and adults moved by the Holy Spirit that day.

Oh that we would be used and open to respond with such ease.  Communion has never been the same for me.  I am blessed to be a child of God and a disciple called to action.

 

Let’s pray together:

Gracious God, help us to see your gentle nudges and your call in all situations even when our response seems meager.  May our lives glorify you in our daily walk and may we be reminded that what we say and do has meaning for us and others. Amen.

 

This devotional was written and read by Lisa Blackwood.

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

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

With a Thankful Heart 

(our theme for November)

Ezekiel 3:17-19 “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the people of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me. When I say to a wicked person, ‘You will surely die,’ and you do not warn them or speak out to dissuade them from their evil ways in order to save their life, that wicked person will die for their sin, and I will hold you accountable for their blood. But if you do warn the wicked person and they do not turn from their wickedness or from their evil ways, they will die for their sin; but you will have saved yourself.

I read somewhere that one of the major differences between humans and other animals is the ability to pause between stimulus and response. During that pause, humans have the ability to choose their response. In other words, each of us is responsible for what we choose to think, say, and do. Although our conditioning can lead us down one path, it doesn’t have to control the way we respond. We have the ability–the responsibility–to choose our response.

In Ezekiel’s case, he is given clear instructions by God (stimulus) and told the consequences of his action (response). Ezekiel is only responsible for the way he responds to God’s instructions. He is not responsible for the people’s response to God’s message that he is to deliver. They are responsible for their response.

It is liberating to know that when God wants us to do something, we are only responsible for doing it and doing it the way that God wants it done. Sometimes, I forget. I hesitate to do something I feel God wants me to do because of the possible outcomes I can imagine. I wonder if I am using the resources I have in the best way. I forget that if it is the way God wants it used,  then that is the best way.

We often hear people talk about how they want to “save” someone. We can only help direct others to the path.   With God’s help,  they can choose to be saved, regardless of the problems they face.

Prayer:

Help us Lord, as we go through this day, to listen to you and respond by doing what you want us to do, knowing that the rest is in your hands. Amen.

This devotional was written by Alvin Jenkins, 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/. 

With a Thankful Heart 

(our theme for November)

Jonah 2:9  (The Message)  I’m worshiping you, God,     calling out in thanksgiving! And I’ll do what I promised I’d do!     Salvation belongs to God!

This verse is a part of the prayer Jonah spoke while he was in the belly of the whale.  You remember the story of Jonah.  The Lord had commanded him to go and preach a message of repentance to the inhabitants of Nineveh.  These were enemies of the Hebrews.  Jonah did not want this assignment and so he took off in a ship heading as far away from Nineveh as he could.  God caused a storm and just when it looks like all on the ship would be lost, Jonah admits to the crew his actions.  With his urging they throw him overboard.  The crew is saved and Jonah is swallowed by a great fish or whale, depending upon your translation.  After three days in the fish’s belly he prays.  

His prayer is done in the confidence that God hears him, calling out in thanksgiving. Even though he is still in the fish Jonah prays as if his salvation has already happened. He celebrates his salvation and promises to do what God wants him to do.  

I think all of us can identify with Jonah, at least at times in our lives.  Because of the choices we have made we find ourselves in challenging situations. We feel distanced from God and ashamed of the mess we have made of our lives.  In times like this it is hard to pray, to pray with thanksgiving knowing God hears and loves us. Like Jonah we might even make promises to God like, “If you get me out of this situation I will….” and you can fill in the blank.  But like Jonah, if we can own our mistakes, trust that God hears us we too can share thanksgiving and praise.  We too can believe that God is working to save us from this mess we have gotten ourselves into.  

How much better it would have been for Jonah if he had listened and followed God in the first place?  How sad that it took a whale eating him to make him see the consequences of his rebellion.  How much better it is for all of us to listen and follow God instead of being left to pick up the shattered broken pieces of our lives because of our rebellion.  

God heard Jonah’s prayer.  He was vomited up on shore.  Standing there stinking of fish he finally turned towards Nineveh to do what God had asked him to do.  When we finally repent we too will find salvation. But like Jonah, we will have to deal with the stink of the consequences of our actions but do so with the knowledge God is with us. In this hope with thanksgiving we can set our face towards the path God has set before us and know that we will have the strength and unlimited love of God to see us forward.

Let us pray:  Loving God, when we have made poor choices help us to turn to you knowing you love us and hear us.  Give us repentant hearts and the courage to face the future you have set before us in trust.  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/. 

With a Thankful Heart 

(our theme for November)

Luke 17:11-19 (CEB) On the way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. As he entered a village, ten men with skin diseases approached him. Keeping their distance from him, they raised their voices and said, “Jesus, Master, show us mercy!” When Jesus saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” As they left, they were cleansed. One of them, when he saw that he had been healed, returned and praised God with a loud voice. He fell on his face at Jesus’ feet and thanked him. He was a Samaritan. Jesus replied, “Weren’t ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? No one returned to praise God except this foreigner?” Then Jesus said to him, “Get up and go. Your faith has healed you.”

One time we went out to eat with our disabled daughter in her wheelchair. We didn’t go out very often for fear of disturbing others, since Hannah required frequent care of her breathing tube with a noisy machine, but we had just come from a doctor’s office and needed food. When it came time to pay the bill, the waiter said, “Your bill has already been paid.” Of course, I expressed my gratitude, and the waiter said, “Don’t thank me, I’m just the messenger. Those folks at the next table picked it up.”

It’s interesting to think about what might have been on the minds of the other nine healed in the incident recorded by Dr. Luke. Let’s be clear: all of them had faith in Jesus, and faith healed them all, but only one came back to say “thank you.”

One commentator suggested that perhaps they thought they deserved healing because they were of the chosen people, and thus only the Samaritan realized he had received a true gift. They might also have been focused on the priest because the priest could declare them “officially” healed, just as the waiter could declare our bill paid, whereas the Samaritan recognized the true source. I can’t help but wonder if, when the nine arrived at the temple, the priest had the integrity to say, “Don’t thank me. Thank the one who healed you.” In any case, it was only the outsider who recognized the source of the great gift he received.

Let’s pray.

Father, do we take your grace for granted? Help us to recognize the magnitude of the gift you have given us and to never lose sight of its source. We don’t say “thank you” from the heart enough. Soften our hearts that we may open our eyes and see the wonder that leads to true gratitude. In Jesus’s name, Amen.

This devotional was written and read by Donn King.

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

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

With a Thankful Heart 

(our theme for November)

2 Corinthians 9:11 You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.

 

In the month of November and this season of Thanksgiving, there is another holiday we ought to remember and be thankful for: Veteran’s Day. The brave men and women who have so fearlessly and selflessly served our country, not knowing if they may return.

It takes an immense act of courage and generosity to be willing to leave the lives they knew behind to serve their countries and defend their futures, however these men and women stepped up to the call, which could be seen as both a call from their leaders and from God as a testament of their characters. In turn, these men and women have been enriched with God’s divine protection to see this test through and be able to come out on the other side. While their lives have surely not been the same, nonetheless, they have been enriched, as their courage in the face of adversity continues to be honored in different ways, even today. Their generosity and willingness to protect others has sown seeds for future generations and instilled in countless families a newfound thankfulness to God for the many veterans who answered this call, exhibited grace under pressure, and came out on the other side.

Prayer:

God, help us to step up to the call of enriching others’ lives through generosity and instilling a new thanksgiving in you in others. Thank you for our veterans and for your fierce protection over them. May we never forget their courage, generosity and sacrifices. Amen.

 

This devotion was written and recorded by Grace Jonas.

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

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

With a Thankful Heart 

(our theme for November)

1 Timothy 4:4 For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving,

Everything is good. It is so hard to see good in every single thing on Earth. Of course, we can see the beauty of nature and the delicious food we have to eat, but where is the good in murder, and hate, and disease?

Nothing is to be rejected! 

It may seem trivial, but think about how we behave in the grocery store. We walk up to the mountain of apples and pick and choose between the dozens to find the one we think looks perfect. We act as if the one next to it is not good enough. If an apple has one small imperfection, we reject the whole thing.

Nothing is to be rejected IF it is received in Thanksgiving! The difference between everything being good and not is in how WE receive it.

Wait. Whether something or someone is good depends on whether I receive it with thanks?

Yoshida Kenko wrote that the leaves do not fall of their own accord. They are pushed by the buds of the new growth. So, wait, I can read the thoughts of a Buddhist monk written 700 years ago and hear God speak to me? There is an order and purpose in all things. 

A dead rotting tree covered in worms and mushrooms will be the food of the next mighty oak.

Manure grows bountiful crops.

The tears that I shed today will water the seeds of hope for the flowers that will bloom in the future, whether I will ever see the flowers or not. 

When I look at an apple, do I see the small bruise and put it back or do I see the apple that has been grown, packed, and shipped so that I may enjoy it?

The way in which I receive things will shape the present and the future. It will shape my present and future, and it will shape the present and the future of that thing. How I interact with other people will shape my today and tomorrow and it will shape theirs.

The choice I make in how I receive others is my thanks to God(or it is not), and how I receive others shapes how they receive me.

Let us pray.

God, help us to accept and not reject. Please help us to receive all with thanksgiving and see the good that is all things that you have created. Allow us to understand that it is our vision that has limits not your goodness. Amen.

This devotional was written by Jill Pope and read by Judy Wilson.

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

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

With a Thankful Heart 

(our theme for November)

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 firstchurch.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/. 

With a Thankful Heart 

(our theme for November)

Psalm 35:18 CEV And when your people meet, I will praise you and thank you, Lord, in front of them all.

Most Methodist church services are, what I would call, reserved, respectful, and calming.  Because of this, the verse today makes me think of old time Tent Revivals and the expressive worship and praise services of, perhaps a Billy Graham Crusade from long ago, where thousands of adoring worshipers shouted, clapped hands, and even danced in the aisles. They ran to the altar for absolution and salvation.

I also remember attending church services with my grandma and feeling God’s closeness, while praising God with her, our hands raised to heaven, while people around us often cried, shouted, or prayed out loud, in front of each other.

Now, the closest I have personally come to “dancing in the aisles” was when my grandson Tyler was only 12 years old.  Tyler passed out unexplainably at school one day and was rushed to the hospital.  There it was discovered that he had a massive brain tumor.  The “brilliant Dr. Alexa Canady, the genius brain surgeon, successfully removed most of the invasive monster from my Tyler’s head and when she announced her success and told us Tyler would survive, everyone in the hospital, everyone at work, everyone in my neighborhood, heard my loud shouting and praises to God.  I literally praised God and danced for joy in front of them all!

This year, on September 1, under a big tent in our church parking lot, with cars passing by, Pastor Jonathan gave a wonderful sermon and directed the congregants to loudly proclaim, Hallelujah, at several intervals.  Those voices raised together felt like we answered the call from this verse: “I will praise you and thank you, Lord, in front of them all,” the neighbors and all the passing cars!

Perhaps we need the energy and communal praise more than we know.  So…let us not be shy about praising God among the people.  And maybe occasionally a little bit more in our reserved, quiet sanctuaries. 

Pray with me now…

Hallelujah, Lord!

Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

Give me courage to praise you when your people meet, Lord!

Even if it is silently, within my heart.

But, also, occasionally with my mouth, so others know I Praise You!

And I do!

Hallelujah!  Hallelujah!  Hallelujah!

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/. 

With a Thankful Heart 

(our theme for November)

Hebrews 12:28 Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe...

 

We live in a world that is constantly being shaken. World conditions and events seem to be shaking the core of our society and threaten to tear apart all the things we know and hold dear. It is easy in this world to be discouraged and disillusioned, and wonder where God is and why He doesn't do something.

The book of Hebrews was written to a group of early Christian believers of Jewish descent who felt much the same way. It was most likely written in the late first century, and these believers were a generation removed from Jesus' earthly ministry, Facing intense persecution, many of them were discouraged and disillusioned with their new faith and were thinking of returning to the Judaism off their forefathers.

Hebrews is not an argument against Judaism. The writer of the book uses history and logical argument to show that Jesus is the fulfillment of Judaism and is superior to anything they might go back to. Jesus is superior to angels, priests, and sacrifices. Jesus is the embodiment of God's word, he is our hope for new life, he is the perfect priest, and he is the perfect sacrifice.

Chapter 12 is sort of the author's closing argument. In it he urges his audience, and by extension, us, to persevere through hard times and not grow weak. God can and does use hard times to discipline us and bring us closer to Him.

Hard times shake out things, and leave things that cannot be shaken. Because of Jesus' perfect sacrifice, we are citizens of a kingdom that cannot be shaken, no matter how hard the times, because it is the kingdom of God. It is not something that is to come - we are in that kingdom now.

Our reaction to that is first to be grateful. We should receive God's gift with our greatest gratitude. We are also to offer to God "acceptable worship." The word "worship" in this verse is used in other places in the bible to mean "serve," or "minister." I take this to mean that our gratitude should overflow our hearts and compel us to serve God by serving those He loves. Finally we should do all this with a sense of reverence and awe, always conscious of God's presence and power.

 

Prayer:

Father, thank you for providing the perfect way to be restored to relationship with you. Thank you for a place in your kingdom. May we never forget that the love we feel for you and the gratefulness we have for your gift should compel us to serve all those we meet, with the love that comes to us from you, in your power, not ours. In the precious name of Jesus we pray, Amen.

 

This devotion 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/.