Grace for All

Made in His Image 2 Corinthians 3:17-18 (CEB)The Lord is the Spirit, and where the Lord’s Spirit is, there is freedom. All of us are looking with unveiled faces at the glory of the Lord as if we were looking in a mirror. We are being transformed into that same image from one degree of glory to the next degree of glory. This comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

There is a famous painting by Norman Rockwell called Triple Self-Portrait. It shows the artist with his back turned to the viewer, looking at himself in a large mirror, and painting a shades-of-gray self-portrait. The Rockwell in the mirror wears glasses, but we cannot see his eyes—the lenses are flat white. The Rockwell he is painting wears no glasses, looking straight at the viewer with no obstruction.

Obviously, when Rockwell looked in the mirror, he saw Rockwell. That is, he saw himself. But he transformed what he saw as he painted.

When you or I look in a mirror, we expect to see ourselves. But when we look into the mirror that is “the glory of the Lord” (which seems to be a phrase that means Jesus Christ), we see not ourselves as we are but as we can be.

John Wesley talked about three kinds of grace: prevenient grace that draws us to God; justifying grace by which we are forgiven and made right with God through faith in Jesus Christ; and sanctifying grace, the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit in our lives that transforms us into the likeness of Christ. Paul here tells the Corinthians about that ongoing work of sanctifying grace.

There’s another key idea in this Scripture. Transformation is an ongoing project. The Common English Bible accurately translates the original verb with the phrase, “We are being transformed.” Not “We were transformed” or “we are transformed” or “we will be transformed.” It started in the past, is happening now, and continues on into the future.

Hold up the mirror of Jesus Christ and look into it to see what you are becoming as you follow the Lord’s Spirit, in which there is freedom.

Let’s pray:

Father, a lot of us don’t enjoy looking in the mirror. We don’t like what we see. Thank you for giving us the image into which you are transforming us. Open us to that transformation by your Spirit. Help us lay hold of the freedom you give to us. 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/.

Made in His Image

Ephesians 4:21-24 (The Message version) You learned Christ! My assumption is that you have paid careful attention to him, been well instructed in the truth precisely as we have it in Jesus. Since, then, we do not have the excuse of ignorance, everything—and I do mean everything—connected with that old way of life has to go. It’s rotten through and through. Get rid of it! And then take on an entirely new way of life—a God-fashioned life, a life renewed from the inside and working itself into your conduct as God accurately reproduces his character in you.

 

On a recent trip to Wales some in our group were highly critical of almost everything. The food was different and they wished for some good American food.  Our lodgings places were not up to American standards. Underneath their complaints you could hear the lament, “It’s not like home.” Others embraced the trip, trying new foods with anticipation, enjoying quirky lodgings just because they are not like home, and enjoying the people. The attitude one brought made all the difference in how much they experienced the trip.

The writer of Ephesians reminds all of us that if we are to fully live the new life Christ’s offers us, we have to let go of our past.  I wouldn’t go so far to say that we have to consider it all rotten and needing to be rejected, but I do think we need to let go of past hurts, resentment, bitterness, pride and more if we are to live a life of love, peace and forgiveness that God calls us to lead.  

Another way of getting at this is to ask, what kind of tourist are we in our life and faith journey? Do we want to drag our past experiences, particularly the negative ones, into the present moment and let them color all that we are experiencing? Or, are we wanting to live fully today relishing everything we experience as a gift of God? Which way would Christ challenge us to live?  We are reminded that we can’t give excuses for wanting to hang onto that past negative baggage.  We know how to live allowing God’s character to be faithfully reproduced in our lives. 

Each day is a new day.  We have to let yesterday go. It is hard to forgive, to give up negative habits and attitudes. But we can with God’s help.  It is a constant process but the more we work at it the easier because God is at work reproducing God’s very character in us.

Let us pray: Loving God as we journey through life give us the strength to leave the negative stuff behind us, celebrate today and all the ways you have blessed it. Help us to be faithful knowing you are working to reproduce your character of love and grace within us each and every day.  Amen.

This devotion was written by Bill Green 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/.

Made in His Image

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/.

Made in His ImageMatthew 19:4-5“Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’ and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’?

To put this Scripture in context, Jesus is responding to the question from the Pharisee, “Isn’t it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any and every reason.” For centuries, people have used this passage to condemn people who have been divorced. Such an interpretation, I believe, violates a more important command to love your neighbor.

I experienced divorce about 50 years ago. I had recently moved to Tennessee and had no family here besides my wife and three-year-old daughter. I became legally separated from my wife six months after moving to Tennessee. 

I absorbed myself in my work and church. My church and close neighbors were very welcoming and accepting of me in my new status of being single. Due to irreconcilable differences, I was divorced several months later. Years ago, some churches were not accepting of divorced people.  Later, they became more sensitive to the spiritual and emotional needs of divorced persons. Some even held gatherings or support groups for persons experiencing divorce.

From my own experience, I would encourage couples to do all they can to save their marriage, especially where children are involved. But I realize that some marriages simply cannot be saved. As a church and individual Christians, we need to support and nurture as appropriate people we know who are experiencing divorce. 

How do we do that? I suggest praying for them. I would also suggest sending them a card and let them know you are praying for them and hope that they can have some peace and relief of their situation. Many families have been touched by divorce. My wife and I both were divorced, and we just celebrated our fourty-eighth anniversary. In those stituations where we know of a divorce, we need to do “what Jesus would do.”

Prayer:

Dear God, help us as individuals and as a church to be more caring and sensitive of those struggling to hold their family together and those experiencing divorce. Amen.

 

This devotional was written by Emmit Rawls 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/.

Made in His Image

 

Genesis 5: 1-2 (NIV) This is the written account of Adam’s family line.  When God created mankind, he made them in the likeness of God.  He created them male and female and blessed them.  And he named them “Mankind” when they were created.

Genealogies are found throughout the Bible, and I have found them to be both informative and interesting reading.  In a sense they provide a legitimacy to the stories of God’s chosen people because we see the growth of the family tree from Adam all the way to Jesus.  Along the way, the authors would occasionally interrupt the list of names to provide small details about particular individuals not unlike details you might have heard about one of your distant relatives. 

I am fortunate to have a family genealogy that was traced back to the year 1280.  The large parchment sheet does not just list names but also has small notes about people with titles like Earl of Worchester or Secretary to King Henry VII.  One person had a note that they had the family Bible. 

I think it fitting that the early chapters of Genesis put a priority on genealogy with an emphasis as we see in today’s scripture that God created both man and woman in God’s image.  I have two photos that I really enjoy, one is me with three of my father’s brothers…I look just like them.  The second photo is me with two of my mother’s brothers…I look just like them.  Clearly, I was created in the image of my parents.  

When I read God created man in His image, it gives me a comfort to know that this was one of the first acts of love by God and sets the stage for God desiring a relationship with us, His children.  This is seen in the portion of scripture that reads, “He created them male and female and blessed them.”  Regardless of our current family dynamics, we should draw comfort knowing that our family tree traces all the way back to Adam and Eve, created by God, in the image of God, and blessed by God.  You have a part in that as well.

 

Will you join with me in prayer?  Father, God, thank you for creating each of us in your image.  Strengthen and nurture us as a loving Father who desires nothing more than a relationship.  Open our eyes that your desire for relationship also extends to all those around us.  It is in your name, God, that we pray.  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/.

Made in His Image

 

Psalm 139:13-14"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well." 

 

More than 25 years ago, my dear friend’s son was born with a serious heart defect requiring multiple open-heart surgeries.  I will never forget visiting them when he was just a toddler.  At bedtime, I watched her dress him in his pajamas and tuck him in for the night.  As she settled him in his bed, she took her finger and lovingly traced the long scar on his chest as she said these words, “You are fearfully and wonderfully made.”  

 

I picture that tender moment every time I hear this verse. Knowing that we are made in God’s image, I think, is not so much about us trying to identify with God as it is about the realization that God identifies with us. We have the assurance that God knows our hearts—literally and figuratively. God knows our strengths and weaknesses, our greatest hopes and deepest fears.  God knows all of our thoughts and our feelings. God knows where we are broken and where we are whole. God knit us together, and God knows all of it. 

 

Beloved, God knows your scars more intimately than you do, and they are precious to Him.  

 

Today, can you picture God tracing those scars, visible and invisible, with God’s own hand and saying to you, “You are fearfully and wonderfully made?”

Pray along with me: 

Creator God, I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.  When I feel overcome by the awareness of my flaws, remind me that you see beauty where I see scars.  Help me believe that you lovingly knit me together and that your works are wonderful.  May I bring glory to your name.  Amen.

This devotion was written and read by Greta Smith.

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

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

Made in His Image Philippians 4:7 And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Peace treaties, peace accords, peace initiatives, world peace; all these terms are heard frequently and speak of efforts by world leaders to find ways to avoid conflict, but one only needs to listen to the news for a few minutes a day to see that the world is in constant turmoil and that peace among nations is elusive. 

Jesus tells his disciples in John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give  you, I do not give to you as the world gives.” The peace that Jesus gives is a spiritual assurance of God’s love and is administered by the Comforter, the Holy Spirit.  

Again, Jesus tells us in John 16:33 “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

These declarations by Jesus speak of an inner peace to those who know him. Jesus also said John 15:11, “These things have I spoken unto you that My joy might remain in you, and that your joy may be full.”  In John 10:10 Jesus tells us that “I am come that you may have life and have it more abundantly.” Faith in God’s promises is a critical element peace. Even in grief we can have a peace, knowing that God “has overcome the world” and whatever the source of the grief, we can trust the holy spirit to restore us to that abundant life that Jesus wants us to have.

There was a time in my life when I lived alone and I didn’t feel the joy, peace or happiness of which Jesus spoke. I questioned my faith. I was grieving loss. This went on for some time. Then one clear, and quiet Sunday morning as I made coffee, I happened to look outside to where a pear tree stood. The pears were ripe and were being consumed by a odd variety of birds and animals. Ducks, pheasants, quail, squirrels, all were sharing the bounty. After a short time watching, I begin to experience a great peace. A peace unexpected but welcomed. I realized that God chose this experience to assure me of His care and His healing power.

Prayer:

Thank you God for loving us and knowing our needs And thank you for the peace that you give to your own. Thank you for the still small voice that speaks through beauty and situations that assure us of your presence. Amen.

This devotion was written by Stephen Hankal and read by Jim Stovall.

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

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

Made in His ImageLuke 5:16  "Jesus often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer."

Barbara and I were returning from a family reunion in Alabama not long ago and making our way up the interstate highway. We encountered several impatient drivers who zoomed in and out of traffic, seeking to get to their destination quickly. They put the rest of us at risk. I’m sure that was not their intention, but the result was to make us uncomfortable and vulnerable, and create a climate that raised anxiety for everyone.

I thought of the council of Richard Foster, who in his classic guide , The Celebration of Discipline, wrote, “Our adversary majors in three things: hurry, noise, and crowds .”

Think about this wisdom: the three things that stand between us and spiritual peace are hurry, noise, and crowds. There are times when we cannot avoid hurry. And times when we can not avoid noise. Nor crowds. But none of these things contribute to our peace. In fact, they are the most significant factors standing in the way of our peace.

Barbara and I had this conversation with our son and daughter in law. She said, “This is easy for you because you are retired. It’s difficult for us because we have to go to work every day and can’t control our situation.” She was right. But the truth remains that hurry prevents peace, noise inhibits peace, and crowds restrict peace.

Jesus understood that life requires a rhythm—engagement and retreat, helping and restoring. And the very thing that enables us to help adequately is the time of quiet and prayer that replenishes our spiritual resources. Our Lord withdrew for prayer and renewal. And so must we.

Keep this truth near you. Our spiritual adversary majors in hurry, noise and crowds. We must major in rest, quiet, and solitude. This is what replenishes our spirits.

Prayer:

Dear God, slow me down, quiet me down, and enable me to be alone with you so that I may be the one you intended for me to be. Amen.

This devotion was written and read by Herb Sadler.

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

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

Made in His ImagePsalm 90:2 "Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God." 

 

I'm usually a pretty good sleeper, but there are times when I either can't get to sleep, or I wake up restless and can't go back to sleep. I have a little mental exercise I do when these times happen.  

I start with the current year and count backwards. For every year I try to recall at least one significant event in my life. I'll do more if they come to me, but I usually move on after 2 or 3 things.  

I was born in 1958. If I get that far without falling asleep I keep going and try to remember significant events in history for the year. If I can't think of anything I'll just say, "I got nothing" and move on. I'll go as far as it takes. The longest I remember going was to 1912 - the sinking of the Titanic.

The truth is, though, that no matter how long any of us live, the years of our lives are a vanishingly small slice of time when compared to eternity. James says in his letter that our lives are "a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes" (James 4:14). Even if we were to count back to year 0 - the creation - a long, long time - we wouldn't even scratch the surface of eternity.

I don't know if I have the mental capability to comprehend eternity. It is impossible to understand because eternity exists outside the concept of time. I can't make myself understand an existence without time.

Even so, I know that God is eternal. He has always been and He will always be. I may not understand the mechanics of how He is. I just take comfort in the belief. I also take comfort in the realization that because God provided a way to have a relationship with Him, I will spend eternity with Him in a place called Heaven. Again, I don't know how it will work, I just b that it will.

What will I do in Heaven for eternity? What does Heaven look like? What will I find there? Golden streets? Crystal seas? Choirs of angels?

The truth is that I have no idea, and I'm ok with that.

The only thing I am absolutely, positively 100% sure will be in Heaven is God. He has always been there and He will always be there. I'm just thankful that He loves me enough to let me be there with Him.

Prayer:

Father, thank you for the comfort of knowing that you are eternal; that you will always be. Thank you for the gift that gives us the ability to share eternity with you. Amen.

This episode 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/.

Made in His Image

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/.