Grace for All
"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
What is Heaven Like?
Revelation 21:18-21
The wall (of heaven) was made of jasper and the city of pure gold, as pure as glass. The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald, the fifth sardonyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst. The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was of pure gold, like transparent...God Delivers a Shocking Revelation
Amos 5:24 (ESV)
But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream."Amos was a shepherd called by God to deliver a stinging message to the northern kingdom of Israel. On the outside, the nation was thriving. Religion was booming. The people packed the temples, offered expensive sacrifices, and sang beautiful songs of praise. Yet, beneath this glossy veneer of piety lay a rotten core. The wealthy were exploiting the poor, judges were taking bribes, and the marginalized were being crushed in the streets. God’s people had separated their wo...
Roots, Ruts, and Curves
Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own insight. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.I hike a lot. I have gone on short hikes, and I have gone on long hikes. Some hikes are easy and some incredibly challenging. Some days the weather has been beautiful. Other days the weather has been life-threatening. I have been charged by boar, deer, and bear. I come around a curve in the trail to be greeted by a field...
Set Our Minds on Things Above
Colossians 3:12-15 – 12
Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
It can be hard to stay centered in and focused on love, when the chatter all around us seems to be just the opposite. The world is noisy and loud, filled with sounds of turmoil, negativity, and hate. Wars...
Scripture Saturday (July 11, 2026)
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. <...
What to Wear?
Colossians 3:12-14
Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.I have a closet full of clothes, but when I get dressed, I tend to reach for the same things over and over. You might say they’re my favorites, and that’s probab...
Genuine Love
Romans 12:9-10
Let love be genuine; hate what is evil; hold fast to what is good; love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor.
A few years ago, while I was still serving churches, my district superintendent had an idea. Instead of the one annual meeting to train incoming chairs of local church committees, why not have several smaller events around the district? He believed that reducing travel time would encourage more people to show up. It was a good idea but a lot more work for the people planning it...
A Straight Path?
Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own insight. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.I freely admit that I prefer reading the New Testament over the Old Testament. I know it is important to understand the history of the Old Testament, as it prepares the way for us to experience the birth, crucifixion, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. However, it doesn’t speak to me as the New Testament does. . .except for Psalms and Proverbs. To me...
What Does the Lord Require?
Zechariah 7:9-10
Thus says the Lord of hosts: Render true judgment, show kindness and mercy to one another, do not oppress, the widow, the orphan, the alien, or the poor; and do not devise evil in you hearts against one another.The prophet Zechariah is mentioned in passing in Ezra 5:1. Both he and the prophet Haggai were part of the generation that returned to the land of their ancestors after the King Cyrus of Persia released the exiles. They went to Jerusalem to settle and rebuild the city and the Temple of the...
Let Justice Roll on Like a River
Amos 5:23-24 (NIV)
Away with the noise of your songs!I will not listen to the music of your harps.But let justice roll on like a river,righteousness like a never-failing stream!The prophet Amos probably lived about 8 centuries before the birth of Christ. In this passage, Amos is speaking to the people of Israel and Judah, and he is prophesying about the anger of God toward his chosen people, people who have turned away from following God’s commands and from seeking justice for all. God is not satisfied by worship ri...
Spiritual Poverty or Humility
Matthew 5:3
Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.When I was a teenager, my oldest brother was already married. I was the “last” child at home and I must admit I was drawn to my two brothers and what they thought and how they lived. My oldest brother was delighted one Christmas to receive a tee-shirt that said, “Whoever dies with the most toys wins.” I thought, at that time, it was so funny. As I reflect o nit now, I realize it was merely a symptom of the t...
Scripture Saturday (July 4, 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...
What Does the Lord Require?
“So now, O Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you?”
Deuteronomy 10:12 (NRSV)
Her name was Sam. At least, that's what she told people here, because her real name — Xiomara — made people uncomfortable. They'd try it once, mangle it, and look relieved when she smiled and said, "Sam is fine."
She arrived in 2004, with two suitcases, a worn-out dictionary, and the same dream every person who ever came here — including my ancestors and yours — carried with them: a better life.
What she hadn't expected was the grocery store. Not the size, bu...
The Ever-Flowing Stream
But let justice roll on as a river, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.
Amos 5:24
This is a powerful demand from God for unstoppable fairness and care for the vulnerable, warning that empty religious rituals are meaningless without moral integrity. By definition, Justice is a fundamental and ethical principle based on equity, fairness and the rule of law. It ensures that individuals receive what they are due, whether it is appropriate rewards for good deeds or fair consequences for bad ones.
The prophet Amos delivered this message to the Northern Kingdom of Israel...
Ditch the Checklist
With what should I approach the Lord and bow down before God on high? Should I come before him with entirely burned offerings, with year-old calves? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with many torrents of oil? Should I give my oldest child for my crime; the fruit of my body for the sin of my spirit? He has told you, human one, what is good and what the Lord requires from you: to do justice, embrace faithful love, and walk humbly with your God.
Micah 6:6-8 (CEB)
I don't know if...
From Mourning to Dancing
Psalm 30:11-12
You have turned my mourning into dancing; you have taken off my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, so that my soul may praise you and not be silent. O Lord, my God, I will give thanks to you forever.She was diagnosed with colon cancer and a huge obstructive mass removed from her colon. Further testing revealed spread to the lymph nodes. Lymph nodes are the transport system in our bodies that work with our immune system to fight off infection and disease. But hers now carried the seeds of...
Who Am I to Bless the LORD?
Psalm 103:1-2
Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and do not forget all his benefits.Bless is an action verb. It is not passive and should not be. For those who do not remember the grammar lesson inherent in that statement, being passive subverts who is the actor and who is the object. In other words, it is a mistake to hide who is taking action and who is receiving that action.
As humans we...
Faithful Stewards
1 Peter 4:10 (NIV)
Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms.When we hear the word "gift," most of us think of talent — the ability to play an instrument, to paint a picture, to speak before a crowd. These are real gifts, and we should not dismiss them. But Peter has something broader in mind, and if we read him too narrowly, we may miss something important about ourselves.
The Greek word the writer of this epistle us...
Scripture Saturday (June 27, 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...
Pray. In every situation. (encore)
Philippians 4:6
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.I was fortunate to spend the last nine years of my career in education as a Literacy Specialist in the district office of Williamson County Schools in Franklin, TN. We also lived in Franklin, not far from an entrance onto I-65. I was often asked to attend meetings, trainings, and conferences in either Nashville or Murfreesboro, both a 30-40 drive via I-65 under normal circumstances. Unfortunately, the circumstances were rarely normal. The problem...
As the Heavens Are Higher Than the Earth (encore)
Isaiah 55: 8-9
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.In my household, it is no secret that I envy my husband. Specifically, I envy his easygoing nature, his ability to accept things that are outside of his control. Over the years I have tried to learn from him, and I like to think that he has helped me stretch and grow in this a...
The Secret to Contentment (encore)
Philippians 4:11-13 (NRSVUE)
Not that I am referring to being in need, for I have learned to be content with whatever I have. I know what it is to have little, and I know what it is to have plenty. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being well-fed and of going hungry, of having plenty and of being in need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.When I was a child in Sunday School, I received a mechanical pencil as a prize for memorizing...
Eternally singing praises to God
Psalm 146:2
I will praise the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praises to my God all my life long.About twenty years ago, I was surprised when I received a call from my pastor, as Jim very rarely called me. “It’s mama,” he said. My heart sank. Suddenly, his sweet mother, who had always been so full of life, was gone. Jim was pastor of the little United Methodist church in Tarboro, NC, but a few decades earlier, his father was pastor of the same church, so their ties to tha...
Worrying About Tomorrow (encore)
Matthew 6:34, NIV
Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
I tend to worry a lot. I tend to worry about things that haven’t even happened. I worry about how I am going to play in my next baseball game, for example, or about what people will think of me, even people I haven’t met yet!
We don’t need to worry about that stuff, because tomorrow is not promised. All we can count on is today. That m...
Two Voices
Psalm 98:4 (NRSV)
“Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth; break forth into joyous song and sing praises.”My mother couldn’t sing a lick.
That never stopped her. She sang in church every Sunday — loud, joyful, enthusiastically off-key. And she sang the same way around the house whenever the spirit moved her. She couldn’t have carried a tune in a bucket, as she would have been the first to tell you. She just didn’t think that was any reason not to sing.
My wife Carla has a...
Scripture Saturday (June 20, 2026)
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.
<...From Wretched to Convinced
Romans 8:38-39 (CEB)
I'm convinced that nothing can separate us from God's love in Christ Jesus our Lord: not death or life, not angels or rulers, not present things or future things, not powers or height or depth, or any other thing that is created.Romans 8:38-39 is one of the most beloved passages in Scripture, but I think we lose some of its power when we read it by itself.
Just one chapter earlier, Paul wrestles with a painfully familiar frustration. He knows what is right. He wants to do...
Stay With Us
Luke 24:28–32 (NIV)
As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if he were going farther. But they urged him strongly, "Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over." So he went in to stay with them. When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. They asked each other, "Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked wi...Like a River
Amos 5:24 (NIV)
"But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!"I love fly fishing. And, related to that, I love water and especially mountain streams. One of my favorite streams in the Smokies has been Road Prong, a relatively small stream that runs from near the road to Kuowhi down to the Chimney Tops trailhead. I fished this stream many times and with each visit recognized many specific pools and landmarks along its path. One such landmark was a natural dam consisting of large logs stacked one on...
In Troubled Times
Acts 16:23-25
They threw them (Paul and Silas) into prison and ordered the jailer to keep them securely. Following these instructions, he put them in the innermost cell and fastened their feet in the stocks. About midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.Paul and Silas had just entered a new field of ministry in Macedonia. They were in the town of Philippi where they made their first convert in Europe, a woman named Lydia. They spent some time there and a...
Sing for Joy
Psalm 104:33 (NIV)
I will sing to the Lord all my life. I will sing praises to my God as long as I live.I have always enjoyed singing. Many times my singing is not to be heard by anyone but God. I learned a little bit about singing in grade school and what some of the symbols meant. I have learned to sing by repetition and by singing by someone who was right on key.
Singing in Eastern All State Chorus in Virginia while in high school was a wonderful experience...
Singing God’s Praises All the Day Long
Psalm 100:1-2
Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth. Worship the LORD with gladness; come into his presence with singing.As I sit and write this, I am looking out of the windows as the sun rises in the sky. Birds come and go from tree to lawn to tree. Baby bunnies hop across the yard. Although the trees are still, the clouds are moving quickly across the sky. The dew glistens on the grass as the sunlight reaches past the shadow of a tree. I listen as well. I...
Scripture Saturday (June 13, 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.
Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With...
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly
Colossians 3:16
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God.The word of Christ is made up of the teachings of Jesus and the good news concerning his life, death, and resurrection. It is to be our guide for living as Jesus taught, our guide for living a life that reflects Jesus to those around us.
To know if I am following this instruction, I have to begin by asking...
For the Beauty of the Earth
Psalm 95: 1-2 (RSV)
O come, let us sing to the LORD; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation! Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!One of my favorite hymns is “For the Beauty of the Earth”. It is found in most modern hymnals of all denominations. In the United Methodist Hymnal, it is page 92. Often, worship planners look at this hymn and suggest that the six verses are just too long for the congregation to s...
Abundantly Free
Ephesians 1:7-8
(The Message Version)
Because of the sacrifice of the Messiah, his blood poured out on the altar of the Cross, we’re a free people—free of penalties and punishments chalked up by all our misdeeds. And not just barely free, either. Abundantly free!Each day delivered to my inbox is a quote. I enjoy reading them because of the wide range of people they draw from. I never know if the quote will be from some ancient like Aristotle, a contemporary but from a different faith tradition like the...
We sing our praises! (encore)
Psalm 47:6-8 (New Living Translation)
Sing praises to God, sing praises; sing praises to our King, sing praises! For God is the King over all the earth. Praise him with a psalm. God reigns above the nations, sitting on his holy throne.I am a music appreciator, especially when people are singing to praise God. Recently I heard the choir at our church sing beautiful anthems accompanied by piano and organ. I heard our worship team sing praise songs some of which were converted from old favorite hymns now accompanied by guitar and drums. The...
The Little Brown Church in the Vale
Psalm 100 (KJV)
Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands.Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing.Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him and bless his name.For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.How can you make a...
Singing together
Ephesians 5:18b-20 (NRSV)
be filled with the Spirit, as you sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to one another, singing and making melody to the Lord in your hearts, giving thanks to God the Father at all times and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus ChristIn the broader passage from which this is excerpted, Paul is writing to the church in Ephesus about morality and behavior that reflects someone who is following Christ, discussing such heavy issues as sexual morality, greed, purity of the words we speak, and...
Scripture Saturday (June 6, 2026)
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...
