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Grace for All

Jim Stovall, Greta Smith, First United Methodist Church, Maryville, TN

"Grace for All" is a daily devotional podcast from the laity of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. Each episode presents scripture and a brief reflection, written and recorded by members of our church. These short episodes are meant to inspire you and support your journey of understanding and faith.

We believe the central message of Jesus is one of grace. Grace for all human beings.

Grace for All is a podcast ministry of First United Methodist Church, Maryville, TN

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S25 · E1029
Today · 4 min
Hope in the Ash Heap
Lamentations 3:21-23 (NRSV) But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. We sing the wonderful hymn “Great Is Thy Faithfulness” with such warmth that it’s easy to imagine it coming from a quiet, sunny morning. It didn’t. Those words grew out of destruction and rubble. Almost the whole book of Lamentations is raw grief. In 586 BC, the Babylonians took Jerusalem, and it wasn’t just a wall or a building that came down. It was everything: home, freedom, worship, and identity. The people were dragged into exile among strangers, and underneath it all they suspected that their own unfaithfulness had helped land them there. So it’s a sad and somber book. Which is what makes verse 21 so surprising. Right in the middle of the loss and grief, the writer stops and says, “This I call to mind, and therefore I have hope.” Remarkably, the writer says this even though nothing around him had changed. The walls weren’t rebuilt. The exile didn’t end. What changed was what he remembered. He remembered that God had been there with Israel when the nation faced tough times before. God hadn’t walked away this time either. Even in disaster, God’s love hadn’t run out. And here’s the part I find most encouraging: God’s mercies are new every morning. They’re not a lifetime supply handed out once, but fresh daily, sized exactly for whatever is facing you today. Like manna in the wilderness, you get today’s portion, today. And that’s all any of us need. Just enough to get us through today. Maybe you’re looking at something in your own life that feels destroyed — a relationship, a plan, a version of your life you’d counted on. The wreckage can be devastating. It can convince you there’s nothing left and you’re all alone. Hope doesn’t start when the rubble clears. It starts when you remember who God has been to you before. Let that memory hold you up right where you are. Even in the ashes, His love hasn’t quit, and His mercy is already up this morning, waiting for you. Prayer Lord, when loss or regret threatens to consume us, remind us that Your covenant love is greater than our deepest ruins. Give us the grace to receive today’s mercy for today’s situation. Amen. This devotional was written and read by Chuck Warnock Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life. If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org. First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.
S25 · E1028
Yesterday · 4 min
Fearfully and Wonderfully Made (encore)
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: podcasts@1stchurch.org. First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.
S25 · E1027
Wednesday · 6 min
Thin Places
Genesis 28:12 And he dreamed: a stairway was set on the ground with its top reaching the sky, and God’s angels were going up and down on it. Some years ago, Catherine Nance described in a sermon the concept of thin spaces. According to Google, Thin spaces (often called thin places) are unique locations or moments where the boundary between the physical world and the spiritual realm feels exceptionally close. I instantly knew that what Catherine was describing was more than just conjecture but was, in fact, real. Scripture is full of instances where people experience the very real presence of God. For Jacob, it was a vision of angels ascending and descending on a stairway to heaven. For Moses, it was the burning bush. For Peter, James, and John it was the mount of transfiguration where the countenance of Jesus was transformed and they fell on their faces in awe of the moment. And for Saul, it was a blinding light that knocked him off his horse. Moments when the spiritual is so close to the physical that it is exceptionally real enough to reach out and touch. While not nearly so dramatic as these encounters, thin spaces have been for me something that I have experienced from time to time but could not adequately describe before. Most often, it comes in the form of music that is so overwhelming that I can no longer sing but simply mouth the words. “Hear him ye deaf, his praise ye dumb, your loosened tongues employ. Ye blind behold your Savior come and leap ye lame for joy.” Charles Wesley obviously knew the overwhelming joy of being in the presence of Jesus. Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine Heir of salvation, purchase of God Born of his Spirit, washed in His blood This is my story, this is my song Praising my Savior all the day long This is my story, this is my song Praising my Savior all the day long Or... Angels we have heard on high Sweetly singing o'er the plains And the mountains in reply Echoing their joyous strains. Gloria In Excelsis Deo. In this moment, I am in the thin spaces along with those shepherds. Sometimes it has been in the liturgy of the sacraments of baptism and communion when it becomes almost impossible to recite those sacred words aloud. I have had moments in delivering home communion where it becomes difficult to get through the words without breaking down. And sometimes it is simply reciting the Lord’s Prayer, “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” There is a common phrase, “If you know, you know.” I am persuaded that these experiences are more than simply an emotional response to well written and familiar phrases. There is, I believe, an unmistakable reality of being so close to the spiritual realm, that the physical simply cannot bear it. So, what is it for you? When watching a sunrise or sunset, does a sob suddenly well up in your throat that you weren’t expecting? Are you overwhelmed by purple mountains’ majesty above the fruited plains? Or is it simply a touch or a laugh from someone dear to you? I know that what I believe is real. But in these thin places I can actually reach out and touch what I believe. Prayer: Heavenly Father, I thank you for the times where the spiritual and physical collide in such a way that there is no doubt. Thank you for revealing Yourself to us in ways and moments that affirm for us that You are ever present and oh, so real. Amen This devotion was written and read by Charlie Barton. Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life. If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org. First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.
S25 · E1026
Tuesday · 4 min
Joy Comes in the Morning
Psalm 30:5 (CEB) His anger lasts for only a second, but his favor lasts a lifetime. Weeping may stay all night, but by morning, joy! Twice now I have taken part in the funeral of one of my children. Barry, our oldest son, passed away more than eight years ago. Hannah, our oldest daughter, passed away only nine months ago. Each of those losses shocked me to my core. I found myself asking, How will I ever get through this? It turns out that is a common question when we face grief. We ask it after the death of someone we love, but also after the loss of a job, a devastating diagnosis, a miscarriage, or any loss that divides life into before and after. The question is so common that grief researcher Lucy Hone used it as the title of a book about living with and through grief. Psalm 30 gives us the image of a long, dark night: “Weeping may stay all night.” When you are in the middle of that night, it can feel as though morning will never come. Grief has a way of convincing us that this is simply what life will feel like from now on. But the psalm doesn't deny the weeping. It doesn't tell us to cheer up or get over it. It simply reminds us that the night is not the whole story. “By morning, joy!” Morning doesn't erase what happened during the night. I would give anything to have my children back. That ache does not disappear because the sun comes up. And yet, somehow, the sun does come up. We laugh again without betraying the people we have lost. We notice beauty again. We discover moments of gratitude, connection, even joy. The scar remains, but life grows around it. These two truths can live together: we can carry grief and still experience joy. So when you find yourself in one of those dark nights, when it seems impossible to imagine morning, hold on to this promise: The night is real. But the night is not forever. The sun will come up again. And joy comes in the morning. Let’s pray. Father, when we find ourselves in the dark nights of grief and loss, stay close to us. When we cannot imagine that morning will ever come, help us trust that darkness will not have the last word. Hold us through the weeping, and help us recognize joy when it begins to return. Amen. This devotional was written and read by Donn King. Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life. If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org. First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.
S25 · E1025
Monday · 7 min
Where Do You Find Comfort?
Isaiah 55:1-3 (NLT) “Is anyone thirsty? Come and drink— even if you have no money! Come, take your choice of wine or milk— it’s all free! 2 Why spend your money on food that does not give you strength? Why pay for food that does you no good? Listen to me, and you will eat what is good. You will enjoy the finest food. 3 “Come to me with your ears wide open. Listen, and you will find life. I will make an everlasting covenant with you. I will give you all the unfailing love I promised to David. Where do you find comfort? Some find comfort in other people—a safe place where they know they will be loved no matter what. Children find comfort in their blankie or the soothing sensation of a pacifier. Others find comfort in food—there are some things that only a cupcake can fix! We are all looking for comfort in our lives in some form or another. Sometimes we don’t recognize it because it has become a habit, or simply because we live so comfortably. If we were to take away our phones, our social media followers, our money and possessions—or even our homes or our health—we would quickly see how much of our lives is built around comfort and how, in a split second, we can find ourselves deeply uncomfortable. The book of Isaiah is no stranger to this theme of seeking comfort. In this part of Isaiah, God’s people have experienced exile, suffering under Babylonian captivity and pleading with God for relief. In chapter 53, we learn about a Suffering Servant and how his suffering would become the means through which God’s people would receive redemption and salvation. And this promise would not be limited to Israel alone—it would extend to all nations. Then we arrive at Isaiah 55, where God speaks to people who are weary, thirsty, and longing for something more: “Is anyone thirsty? Come and drink— even if you have no money! Come, take your choice of wine or milk— it’s all free!” Notice that God does not say, “Get yourself together first.” God does not tell them to earn their way back or prove that they are worthy. God simply says, “Come.” Come if you are thirsty. Come if you are empty. Come if you cannot afford what you need. Come and receive what only God can give. This is where the comfort of God is different from the comforts we usually reach for. A cupcake can make a hard afternoon feel a little better. Our phones can distract us. Money and possessions can provide a sense of security. Even the people who love us most can sit beside us in our pain. But none of these things can satisfy the deepest hunger of the human heart. God’s comfort does not always mean that our circumstances immediately become comfortable. Sometimes God’s comfort comes as the assurance that we are not abandoned in the uncomfortable places. The people of Israel still had a journey ahead of them. They would have to leave what had become familiar, return home, and rebuild what had been broken. Yet God promised that they would not make that journey alone: “You shall go out in joy and be led back in peace.” Maybe you are in an uncomfortable place today. Something has changed. Something has been taken from you. Perhaps the things you once depended upon no longer provide the security they once did. Hear God’s invitation to you: Come. Come thirsty. Come weary. Come uncertain. Come without pretending that everything is fine. The truest comfort is not found in a life where nothing difficult ever happens. It is found in knowing that wherever life takes us, God is already there. The God who sustained Israel in exile, brought redemption through the Suffering Servant, and invited the thirsty to come and drink is still offering living water today. So, where do you find comfort? May we learn to find it not only in the temporary things that make life easier, but in the everlasting love of the One who promises to meet us, sustain us, and lead us home in peace. Let us pray. Gracious God, when we are thirsty, empty, or afraid, remind us that your invitation still stands. Help us release the comforts that cannot truly satisfy us and trust in your presence. Meet us in every uncomfortable place, sustain us for the journey, and lead us forward with joy and peace. Amen. This episode of Grace for All was written and read by Reverend Teanna Black, an associate pastor at First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life. If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org. First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.
S25 · E1024
Sunday · 6 min
Refuge, Not Rescue
Psalm 46:1-2 (NRSV) God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change, though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea. Psalm 46 was likely written for a nation under siege—some scholars connect it to the night Jerusalem woke up to find an invading army gone, the threat dissolved overnight with no explanation the city had engineered for itself. The Hebrew word for refuge here is machaseh (mah-khah-SEH), a shelter, a place you flee to when there's nowhere else to go. For people behind those walls, machaseh wasn't a metaphor. It was the stone and mortar keeping them alive while the siege dragged on, day after day, with no guarantee of how it would end. It's a song written by people who knew what it was to be sheltered in the middle of danger, not just delivered from it afterward. A specific time in my life comes to mind when I read Psalm 46. It's not the first story I'd tell about my faith, but it's the one that surfaces without fail whenever I get to these verses. I spent much of the last few years before I retired overseeing a portfolio of capital projects at the university where I worked. The largest one I ever managed was an athletic and recreation center—a $28 million build. When we signed the contract to host a large summer camp of athletes in the facility, we had months of schedule cushion. But construction eats cushion. Delays, weather, small scope changes — each thing is reasonable on its own, until one day the cushion is gone, and you're up against a date you can't move. One thing stood between us and opening: the handicap spaces in the parking lot still needed striping before we could get our certificate of occupancy. The lot itself was already paved. We just needed dry pavement long enough to paint the lines. And it would not stop raining. By the Thursday before the campers arrived, we still didn't have the certificate, and there was no plan B—no other facility that could hold a camp that size. If the certificate didn't come through, we were canceling a contract in front of people counting on us. There's no other way to say it. This was trouble—the real kind, out of my hands, with a clock I couldn't stop. After a sleepless night, I got out of bed well before sunrise that Thursday, completely undone. I told God, plainly, that I was lost. My men's Bible study met that morning, and I told them everything—the lot, the rain, the deadline. They prayed with me, and I remember it being a real prayer. The rain was still coming down sideways when we finished, with more of the same forecast for the next day. I left not knowing anything had changed, but somehow at peace with the situation, wherever it might lead. The storm broke that morning. By mid-morning Thursday, the rain had cleared, and the pavement was dry enough for the crews to paint the lines. The county signed off, and we had our certificate of occupancy Friday afternoon. The athletes arrived Monday, and the camp ran without a hitch. When we got that certificate Friday, I walked into the empty arena by myself and sat in the circle at center court. I lowered my head and thanked God for his provision. I didn’t earn it, and I couldn’t have solved the problem. It's been seven years, and I still can't tell this story without something catching in my chest. I don't know why the rain broke when it did, and I'm not going to pretend I do. It's a miraculous story, and I'm humbled every time I tell it. And although I associate the whole thing with Psalm 46, it isn’t really what the Psalm is about. It isn't a psalm about rain clearing or a miraculous rescue. It's a psalm about refuge. And for me, the association isn’t Friday afternoon; it is Thursday morning. Friday was the rescue—the moment the actual trouble lifted, the thing I'd been praying for. But Thursday morning was the refuge. A group of men I love and respect all owned my trouble with me, agreed, and prayed with me. Not for resolution. Not for success. For peace. For wisdom. For God’s will. They were a refuge for me. A shelter in the storm. A machaseh. You may be carrying a Thursday of your own right now—something with no plan B, no clear Friday in sight. I can't promise you the rain will break on your timeline. But I can tell you where the refuge is. It's not waiting at the end of the story, for whenever the ending finally arrives. It's already here. The Psalm says, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” Machaseh doesn't wait for resolution. It asks you to put your trust in the eternal refuge before you have one. Lord, when the ground is shaking and we can't see a way through, be our refuge before we see the outcome, not only after. Amen. This devotional was written and read by Cliff McCartney. Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life. If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org. First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.
S25 · E1023
Saturday · 3 min
Scripture Saturday (September 5, 2026)
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: podcasts@1stchurch.org. First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.
S25 · E1022
September 4 · 5 min
New Every Morning
Lamentations 3:22–23 (NIV) Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. Lamentations is exactly what the name promises — five chapters of grief over a city in ruins, a people in exile, a covenant that seemed, by every outward sign, to have failed. The writer describes himself as a man who has forgotten what happiness is, whose strength and hope have perished. And then, right in the middle of that wreckage, comes this turn: because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed. This isn't comfort offered from a safe distance, after the crisis has passed. It's comfort spoken from inside the rubble, by someone who has every reason to despair and chooses instead to remember. The mercies aren't new because the trouble has ended. They're new every morning. God's faithfulness isn't about whether our circumstances have improved. It's measured by whether God is still God, morning after morning, regardless of what the night before contained. Many of us have sung the old hymn "Great Is Thy Faithfulness," which comes directly from this passage. There’s no escape from trouble. But there is promise of a faithfulness that outlasts the trouble — summer and winter, springtime and harvest, sun, moon, and stars in their courses, all bearing witness to a mercy that renews itself daily rather than running out. We tend to want comfort that changes our situation. What Lamentations 3 offers is comfort that changes what we can stand on while the situation remains what it is. And that comfort is "new every morning." We measure faithfulness by consistency of outcome — did the plan work, did the prayer get answered, did the trouble go away. Scripture measures it differently: faithfulness is God showing up again, today, possibly in a way different from yesterday. That's covenant language. It's the same God who bound himself to Israel in the wilderness binding himself to us now — not because we've earned it, but because that's who he has committed to be. If you're in a season where the comfort you want hasn't come, this passage doesn't ask you to pretend otherwise. It asks you to notice that you woke up this morning still held, still experiencing the mercy that has been been renewed once again today. Your discomfort may be the same, but God offers new mercies morning by morning. Prayer: Lord, when our circumstances offer us no comfort, let us find it in you — not because our trouble has ended, but because your mercy is new again this morning, as it was yesterday, as it will be tomorrow. Great is your faithfulness. 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: podcasts@1stchurch.org. First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.
S25 · E1021
September 3 · 4 min
A Matter of the Heart
Joshua 1:9 Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. Knowing what we value and being able to act and speak accordingly is something many of us strive for. However, consistently demonstrating beliefs that we say we hold every moment of every day is a challenge for all. Sometimes, I get to the end of a day, and I am discouraged by how much is left undone, by the words I did not share. Other days I have said words or I have done something that I realize might have hurt someone. My world can get very cluttered with what ifs. My battlefield is figurative not reality, but I seek courage and strength everyday. As I search, I find that courage comes from the heart. This is true both in the sense that the courageous choose actions and words that demonstrate their heart and in the etymology of the word derived from cor which means heart. The Lord is with us, in our heart, in our world, in the air that we breath. Courage is the ability to let what is in our heart lead us to do God’s will in a broken world. Strength is the ability to do what God leads us to even when it is challenging. And humility makes room for the strength to know that we will only accomplish what God allows for us. When we fall short of what we think we should accomplish, we should not be discouraged because our Lord is with us, always. The path to peace in our heart is in following God’s will whether it is what we think should happen or not. When the “what ifs” begin to clutter my view, I pray that God will show me the way forward and give me strength to understand. Please pray with me today: Lord, help me find the strength that you share with me in my heart. Allow your love to guide me on the path of your direction. May your wisdom fill my heart and give me strength as I make each choice each day. I know you are with me always. Please help me to focus on Your will not mine, Amen. This devotion was written by Jill Pope and read by Susan Daves. Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life. If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org. First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.
S25 · E1020
September 2 · 6 min
Strength from the Mountains
Psalm 121:1-2 “I lift up my eyes to the mountains – where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.” These words make up the first two stanzas of a Song of Ascents. The Songs of Ascents are a collection of 15 Psalms traditionally sung by Hebrew pilgrims as they journeyed to Jerusalem for worship during annual festivals. These psalms express themes of trust, hope, and spiritual ascent, reflecting the pilgrims’ journey from distress to divine joy and highlight the communal aspect of worship. Praise the Lord! I’ve lived near mountains much of my life. In Birmingham, AL a peak called Red Mountain, part of the Appalachians, oldest mountains in North America, was visible out my front door. In Colorado, the Great Rockies towered grandly over the city of Denver and could be seen everywhere I looked. And now in Tennessee, the majestic Smokies, part of the Blue Ridge, America’s most visited mountains is the vista out my windows! But the mountain I remember most fondly was an imaginary peak. I was around 12 years old when I saw it. I was in fifth grade, and my beloved grandfather had recently died of sudden cardiac arrest. I remember the feeling of devastation and crying uncontrollably as I walked home from school and up the little hill to our home. I stopped to wipe my eyes and when I looked up at the blue sky in front of me it appeared! The sky was filled with huge cumulus clouds that had taken the shape of a snow-covered mountain peak! It filled the whole sky and I was stunned to feel God’s presence with me! My Pawpaw always read the Bible to me and took me to church. At the moment of the “mountain” sighting, I could hear his voice in my head. But I knew the voice was from God and was assuring me that my Pawpaw was home with God and that my help would now come from God too! Here in Tennessee, we can see God’s mountains just about all the time. We would do well to be reminded of this verse every time we see them. And if no mountains are near you, just close your eyes and see God’s holy mountain, remembering His promise and blessing whenever you need it, no matter where you are. “I will lift up my eyes to the mountains – from where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.” Won’t you please pray with me…Dear Lord, Maker of all things, please draw me close and let me feel your LOVE, your guidance, and your help, in all things, all the days of my life. Whenever I see mountains and hills, real or imaginary, let me remember you and reach for your help. 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: podcasts@1stchurch.org. First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.
S25 · E1019
September 1 · 5 min
Help Us Lord
Psalms 121:1-2 I lift my eyes to the hills – from where will my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. Many of our Grace for All listeners have likely visited Lake Junaluska in North Carolina. It is where the Holston Annual Conference meets each year to conduct the business of the church and hear about all the good things that have occurred and will occur in the coming years. It is a beautiful place, with the lake and hills, the huge lighted cross on the hill above the building where delegates meet, a prayer maze, a chapel that induces calmness and awe, a place where everyone can reflect, refresh, and rededicate themselves to serve God. I was privileged to serve as a delegate a few years ago when one morning terrible news came from home. A father and son had died in a murder-suicide. It was a family well-known and loved by many of our district delegates. A family of faithful Christians who had served in many capacities to help spread the Good News and establish new churches and schools as missionaries to another continent. Mental illness had become the demon that led to this tragedy, and we were shocked and grief-stricken that morning. The following days of profound sadness and grief were almost unbearable to those closest to the family. The child’s mother was literally prostrate with grief, but her wonderful family, her congregation, and many friends held her up until she could once again stand. The morning that the news reached Lake Junaluska, I was praying as I walked to the meeting center, crying out “how could this happen to your beloved servants?” when I looked up and the beauty of the warm, sunny morning in a beautiful place of God’s creation overcame me. This verse “I lift up my eyes to the hills – from where will my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth” came to mind. I realized that as awful as this felt and as tragic as it was, God would be with us to help us endure and heal. That day is not the end of the story. The mother dedicated her life to making the memory of her son a force of good in the community. Church and community activities were organized in her son’s memory. People chose to be the hands of feet of Jesus where there was need and continue to shine the special light that was this little boy. A new family formed out of the hopelessness and despair of that tragedy. His mother remarried several years later, and a strong Christian family with beautiful children and loving parents grew. The Lord continues to help all of us who loved this child and his family and show us many ways to love and serve in his memory. Awful tragedies occur every day in our world, but God’s promise never falters. He will never leave us, and He will always be there to help us when human strength fails, and we cannot understand why such tragedies happen. Let us pray: Dear God, our earthly lives may be filled with loss and sorrow, but your promise is constant. You are there to help us, whatever our circumstances. You will never leave us. For this assurance, we give thanks. Amen. This devotion was written and read by Pat Scruggs. Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life. If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org. First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.
S24 · E1018
August 31 · 4 min
Stirring the Pot (encore)
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: podcasts@1stchurch.org. First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.
S24 · E1017
August 30 · 4 min
Zero-Based Budgeting
Matthew 22:34-40 34 Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. 35 One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: 36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” When I was working, we always had to submit a new budget for the upcoming year. For a long time, we just looked at our expenses for the current year and increased that amount for the coming year. Then we started using zero-based budgeting. We had to review every budget item against what we had been tasked to do. We had to justify every expense against our primary mission. I think that is what Jesus was doing. He was saying that every one of the commandments in the law should be reviewed against the commandments to first love God with all that we have and then our neighbor as we love our self. The only commandments that were needed in the law were those that fit the purpose of these two. We all need from time to time to review our lives against these two commandments. How do we spend our time, money, and our other resources? Do these show our love for God and others? Perhaps we need to zero-base our lives. Get rid of the things that don’t show our love for God and others. What would our lives look like then? Prayer: Dear God, as I go through this day, in everything that I say, do and think help me to show my love for you and my neighbors. So that this day my life might bring a smile to your face rather than tears to your eyes. This devotion was written by Alvin Jenkins and read by Jim Stovall. Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life. If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org. First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.
S24 · E1016
August 29 · 5 min
Scripture Saturday (August 29, 2026)
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: podcasts@1stchurch.org. First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.
S24 · E1015
August 28 · 5 min
Faith and Suffering
Job 19:25 For I know that my Redeemer lives and that at the last he will stand upon the earth. This may seem an odd verse popping up in the book of Job, which is probably best known for detailing Job’s disagreements, suffering, and, ultimately, his steadfast faith in the midst of his misfortunes. In the previous verses in Chapter 19, Job lists his woes: darkness covering his path, the loss of his honor and hope, feeling anger directed at him, estrangement from family and friends, and begging for pity, which falls on deaf ears, his pleas ignored. What a sad situation! Job has every cause to be miserable and finds no one to help him in his time of need and sorrow. I have participated in many Bible studies over the years, but never have I studied Job. Truthfully, what comes to mind upon hearing his name is the idiom “the patience of Job,” which is used to describe someone who can endure extreme suffering, hardship, or severe frustration without complaining or losing faith. If you are over the age of 12, it is likely that you have suffered some injustice or hardship in your life. Maybe even before age 12, when you perhaps could not understand what was happening. I know I have, probably in every decade of my life. When I worked in a county in Middle Tennessee, I worked under a Director of Schools who was demanding, less than communicative, and sharp-tongued when he did speak. I just felt I could never meet his standards, and it was very frustrating. Many days I left my office thinking that it would be best for me to leave that job and find other employment. I didn’t, because of the people I worked with. They all experienced the same thing, and we supported one another. Poor Job didn’t even have a friend to support him! However, Job endures his suffering with the assurance that he will meet his Redeemer. All his suffering will not have been in vain. Most scholars believe that this book was written between the fifth and seventh centuries B. C. (no Jesus born in Bethlehem yet) so he was referring to God as his redeemer, but he stood on his faith in the worst of his suffering. In an introduction to Wisdom and Hymnic Literature in the Old Testament, one of the writers lays out key concepts found in this part of the Bible: the fallen world does not operate by justice, but we can trust that God is wise and just, even when the world is not. Through that lens it is easier to understand how Job endured all his trials with faith. May you never suffer as Job suffered, but when earthly situations do cause you pain and suffering, remember that it is only temporary. Your reward lies with your faith in salvation and eternity with God. Let us pray: God, we thank you for your wisdom and your constant love. You desire what is best for us, not what we may think we want and need. Let us always give thanks for your justice, even when we may not experience it in this lifetime, Help us maintain hope and patience and to love and support those around us when they are experiencing difficulties. Amen. This devotion was written and read by Pat Scruggs. Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life. If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org. First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.
S24 · E1014
August 27 · 6 min
Parable of the Sower
Matthew 13:3-9 A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. Whoever has ears, let them hear. I have always thought of the “someone” in each of Jesus’ explanations of this parable (as in someone who hears the word but…) as other people. One person hears the word with this result and another hears it with a different result. But when I recently heard this passage read, I began to hear about myself in each explanation and it was eye-opening. The focus of the parable shifted from someone to sometimes. Let’s start at the end and work backwards. I like to think that my heart and mind are fertile, well-tilled soil where God’s word is sown, takes root, and thrives. I am constantly hearing new truths in old passages that I can embrace and make my own. I hear and act on God’s call to go and do. And I like to believe that such truths and actions bear good fruit for the kingdom. But then there are situations where I hear a new truth or a word from God for my life and it takes root. But the thorns of my everyday life (schedules, priorities, realities) grow up around that new plant and eventually choke it out. I miss out on the gifts for me and for others because I don’t make the effort to help that word or calling to thrive and it eventually is overcome and fades away. And then there are times when a word for my life rings true and I quickly embrace it; but, just as quickly, it becomes an inconvenient truth for me and my everyday and I never give it the chance to take root and become a reality. I know there have been opportunities to serve that I have considered and could have been fruitful but then they run up against MY will and MY vision for my life and they turn into an opportunity lost. Seeds on rocky places. And how many times has God cried out “Samuel!! Samuel!!” Or, in my case, “Charlie!! Charlie!!” And my ears have just been closed to hearing his call. I know I will always be given new chances to hear what God is speaking for my life and my calling but right now I’m just not willing to listen. These are the seeds that fall along the path and never have a chance. I have experienced each of these scenarios in my everyday spiritual walk. So it no longer is a matter of someone but for me becomes sometimes. It takes will and work and perseverance to keep ourselves always ready to receive a new word or calling from God. But when we do, the harvest can be a hundred or sixty or thirty times what was sown. Prayer: Dear Father, the parables of Jesus are not just interesting stories meant for another audience and another time. As Jesus said, “Whoever has ears, let them hear.” Help me to read each one and ask, “What are you trying to say to me now?” Thank you for your relentless love and patience. Help us to always be ready to say, “Speak, Lord. Your servant is listening.” Amen. This devotion was written and read by Charlie Barton. Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life. If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org. First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.
S24 · E1013
August 26 · 4 min
Comfort in Stillness
Psalm 94:19 (NIV) When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy. Psalm 94:19 (NLT) When doubts filled my mind, your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer. Reading both translations makes this verse seem a bit clearer. In our world, anxiety is a constant voice, a big topic. At times, I find myself dealing with anxiety (traffic in downtown Atlanta comes to mind). It’s not that I don’t have faith, but some days doubt creeps in. Perhaps, the chaotic crowd of anxious thoughts swirling in my head may hinder any progress I might make. I step in, trying to take control and follow my own path, almost instinctively. The reality is that the “what ifs” are a dangerous way to live. Now, let’s be honest, some anxiety is normal. After all we are human. How do we control anxiety and doubt? Anxiety always comes with at least a tad of fear. With God’s help we can step back and recover our balance. Letting go of our worry and doubts may take practice. We have to let go of our desire to control and then relax. We must never forget God is strong, always present and ultimately in control. When I feel anxious or full of doubt, I seek God’s genuine comfort – that deep, soothing reassurance. Leaning on Him allows my heartbeat to slow, removes me from the chaos and allows my mind to quiet. I’m sure there are many paths that bring us to this place. For me, I turn to my “pocket verse” found in Psalms 46:10. “Be still and know that I am God.” It’s short and easy to remember and it is also powerful. A strong reminder that God is present. He steps in to quiet the chaos, fear and worries. No matter how chaotic our lives become; no matter how anxious we may be, God remains a secure fortress and welcoming refuge. Anxiety is set aside when we focus on Him. Once the chaos is stilled, I can focus not on the “what ifs”, but rather the renewed hope and joy of knowing I don’t need to solve all the problems. His comfort, His strength, His presence – all fill my mind and renew my hope and joy. It is comforting in stressful times or times filled with anxiety to step back and focus on God, our source of comfort and joy. Peace and comfort are found in letting go and claiming God’s presence and love. Let us pray…. God of comfort and joy, we ask that you be with us as we find ourselves filled with anxiety. We ask that you help us to step back and remember that you are in control and if we focus on you, our hearts will be quieted and our racing minds will be stilled. We thank you, Lord for your ever-present comfort. Help us to always be filled with joy and hope. It is in the name of your son, Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen. This devotion was written and read by Lisa Blackwood. Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life. If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org. First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.
S24 · E1012
August 25 · 7 min
Many Voices, One God
Micah 5:2-5 “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.” Therefore Israel will be abandoned until the time when she who is in labor bears a son, and the rest of his brothers return to join the Israelites. He will stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. And they will live securely, for then his greatness will reach to the ends of the earth. And he will be our peace. There is a question that serious readers of Scripture eventually have to face: why do two great religious traditions — Jewish and Christian — read the same ancient texts and arrive at different conclusions? Is one of them simply wrong? Or is something else going on? The prophet Micah gives us one of the most remarkable passages in all of the Old Testament. Writing some seven centuries before the birth of Jesus, he points to Bethlehem — the smallest and most overlooked of Judah’s towns — as the birthplace of a coming ruler whose origins stretch back to ancient times, perhaps to eternity itself. Ancient Jewish interpreters, including the great medieval scholar Rashi, read this as a clear messianic prophecy. The Aramaic Targum of Jonathan, written before the time of Christ, translated the passage explicitly: out of Bethlehem shall the Messiah come forth. The Jewish tradition has always known that this passage points toward something — someone — of cosmic significance. Where Jewish and Christian readings part ways is not over whether the passage is messianic, but over whether that Messiah has already come. Jewish tradition reads Micah’s words as a promise still leaning forward, still awaiting its fulfillment. Christian tradition reads them as a promise fulfilled in Jesus of Nazareth, born in Bethlehem, the one in whom the ancient origins of God took on human flesh. Both traditions are reading the same words with great seriousness and great reverence. They simply stand in different relationships to the promise. This ought to give us pause — not because it suggests that truth is merely relative, but because it suggests that truth is larger than any single tradition’s grasp of it. And here the story of Babel may offer us unexpected wisdom. Genesis 11:5-8 (NIV) But the Lord came down to see the city and the tower the people were building. The Lord said, “If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other.” So the Lord scattered them from there over all the earth, and they stopped building the city. We tend to read the Tower of Babel as a story of pure judgment — God scattering a humanity that had overreached. But look more carefully at what God says: “If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them.” The problem at Babel was not human cooperation or even human ambition. It was the dangerous uniformity of a single voice that had made itself the measure of all things, a humanity so certain of its own sufficiency that it had no need to look upward. What God introduced at Babel — the multiplicity of languages, cultures, and voices — was not simply punishment. It was a corrective, and perhaps something more than that. The diversity of human interpretation, including the diversity of faithful religious interpretation, keeps any single tradition from mistaking its own partial vision for the whole of God’s truth. When Jewish scholars and Christian scholars read Micah 5:2 side by side, each sees something real. Each is turned toward the same horizon. And the conversation between them, pursued in honesty and humility, may bring both traditions closer to the God whom the prophet was straining to describe. The ruler Micah promised comes from the smallest place. His greatness reaches to the ends of the earth. And his name, the ancient rabbis told us, was spoken before the world began. Our Father, give us the humility to know that your truth is larger than our understanding of it, and the wisdom to learn from those who read your word from a different place than we do. May all our voices, however different, be turned toward you. Amen. This devotional was written by Jim Stovall. Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life. If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org. First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.
S24 · E1011
August 24 · 6 min
Practicing Kindness (encore)
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 Dockery. Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life. If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org. First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.
S24 · E1010
August 23 · 4 min
When We Don't Understand
Job 19:25 (CEB) I know that my redeemer is alive, and afterward, he’ll rise upon the dust. Job’s friends think they have God figured out. Job has lost almost everything, and they think they know why. Surely, he must have done something terrible. God rewards good people and punishes bad people, they reason, so if Job is suffering, Job must be guilty. Job knows they’re wrong. But he doesn’t understand what God is doing either. In fact, much of the book consists of Job demanding an explanation. At least he knows he hasn't figured it all out. Then, in the middle of all that confusion, Job says something remarkable: I know that my redeemer is alive. Scholars debate exactly what Job means by “redeemer” here. But perhaps the most important thing is what Job doesn’t say. He doesn’t say, “I understand.” He says, “I know.” I once had a little Chihuahua who hated going to the veterinarian. From her perspective, I can only imagine how bewildering it seemed. The person she trusted most would carry her into a strange place and allow a woman in a white coat to poke her with needles. She couldn’t possibly understand why I allowed that. But afterward, she still wanted me. She still climbed into my lap. She still licked my hand. She didn’t understand what had happened, but she knew whom she trusted. Sometimes we want faith to give us explanations. Job reminds us that faith can survive without them. There are things about suffering, loss, and even God that lie beyond our ability to understand. The book of Job ultimately refuses to give us (or Job) a tidy explanation for all of them. But it gives us something else. We may not understand God. We may argue with God or even cry out to him in anger and confusion. And still, with Job, we can say: I know that my redeemer lives. Let's pray. Lord, when I cannot understand what is happening, help me remember who you are. Give me faith that can ask hard questions, endure uncertainty, and still reach for you. In Jesus' name, through whom we can know you, Amen. This devotional was written and read by Donn King. Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life. If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org. First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

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