Jesus said these words in His sermon on the Mount, and he emphasized this command again in Matthew 6:14-15: “For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.”

Forgiving is very important and sometimes quite difficult for us. Think that through. If I asked you to sit down and write a list of your enemies, who would make the list? Maybe people from your past who harmed you, or someone you love, would be first on the list. Maybe you would list collective enemies who harm other people or do great wrongs in the world. Maybe some politicians would make your list, or terrorists, or murderers, and other violent criminals. Maybe some people who disagree with your theology or your philosophy would make the list. Maybe that former friend who betrayed you and broke your heart would be high on the list. Perhaps a close family member who hurt you so much that the bitterness still fills your heart when you are reminded of that person. The list may be long or short, but it is hurtful.

Perhaps we need to make a second list of all the sins and hurts we have committed; all the things we need God to forgive us for.

Put the two lists side by side, literally or figuratively, and see what God sees—two sinners in need of His great LOVE and forgiveness. Two lists that He can eliminate! He will forgive us if we forgive them! Will we?

Dear loving God, forgive me and help me to forgive my persecutors and my enemies, as well as my loved ones and neighbors. Help me to be most generous with my LOVE and forgiveness. Please forgive these on my list, Lord. You know my heart, Lord, and you know I need a lot of mercy and forgiveness. Help me to be as generous as you, Lord, forgiving over and over – constantly striving to live in LOVE. Help me to remember to love my enemies and to pray for the ones who may hate me and persecute me, just as I pray for myself and all those who love me. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.

This devotional was written and read by Bernice Howard.

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

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

The comforting warmth a blanket can give on a chilly day or a cold night is something we all have enjoyed since we came into the world. Babies are swaddled, children are tucked under comforters, and adults sometimes enjoy the warmth of quilts made by family members or previous generations. The first people who walked this land had only blankets, animal skins, and wood fires for keeping warm. In the rich imagery of these cultures, love is like a warm blanket. This nurturing love offers a chance to learn from our mistakes and faults. If someone in our lives needs forgiveness, love can help restore harmony and connection. Love acts as a powerful covering for failings within families and community and even ourselves. It can help with feelings of security and safety.

We are asked in this verse to love “above all.” Instead of focusing on our broken ways the teachings of Jesus focus on love. When we walk the road of love it becomes easier to build unity with the people around us, with the marginalized, and with those from cultures or groups different than our own. Wounds heal and strong bonds are built as the blanket of love covers and forgives, encourages and brings peace.

Think for a moment about where you, in your life journey, might benefit from being surrounded by extra comfort and warmth. Then visualize a colorful, thick blanket wrapping fully around you, bringing peace to the broken places, the heartaches, or the worries. This is a never-ending love, always present, and worth sharing with everyone who walks beside us.

Loving God, we offer you our broken places and broken ways, knowing that you heal and restore us each day. Help us walk the good road of love, reaching out to those who need comfort. AMEN.

This devotional was written by Jenny Green and read by Amy Large.

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/.

Sometimes I think we have completely forgotten how to be humble. So I asked myself, what does it mean to be humble? I looked it up, and I reviewed the etymology, “from the ground, i.e., humus.” For the language lovers listening—how mundane. But on the other hand, how profound. From the dirt, just like every other creature on the planet, we are all mundane from birth until death.

As I pondered the world I live in, I realized that the humble are among us. They simply disappear in a crowd unless we intentionally search for them. They are quiet, almost invisible, and small- intentionally. They move among us whispering, not about themselves, but to check on others, to ask questions like “are you alright?” and to thank others. They do not point out wrong and shout, but they do ask, “Can I help?” They do clean up messes, hug liberally, and provide nourishment for the stomach and the soul. They show up. They look with both eyes open, seeing the hurt and ugliness in the world, and yet seeking out the good and beautiful that sits waiting amongst it all. They hear the shouts, the hurt, and the anger, yet instead of yelling back, they shed a tear, sweep up the broken pieces, offer a kind word, and ask if they can be of help. They break the bread, offer to run the errand, and give up a seat. They do not wear their pride like armor to protect themselves from perceived slights. They bear their hands, not arms, in order to do the work Jesus asks of us in the service of God’s creation.

For all the imperfections we see in the world, let us not forget that it is nothing more than a mirror of our own humanness and imperfections. Why do humans feel the need to point out imperfections and flaws? When we see someone stumble, do we stand by and say, “if they had been paying attention, they would have seen that stumbling block?” Or, do we help them up from their fall, ask if they are ok, and help them push the stone from the path so that we do not stumble in the future?

We should all realize how little value there is in spending our time focusing on the dead ends and hollow words of our mundane humanness and imperfections. Let us direct our attention and others to what can be done in love. At each moment, shouldn’t we choose a next step that draws us closer to The Way—a step that can help us and others focus on what is of value? For the humble among us quietly share the love of God by focusing on what really matters.

God, help us to accept that we are mundane. In humility, may we accept that we are all of this earth and show us how to value what matters. May we clear paths, offer support, and encourage those around us. Help us to heal wounds, not create them. In quietness and confidence, please guide us with the strength that needs no pride, Amen.

This devotional 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/.

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: 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/.

Friendship is an easy word to use when life is calm. It becomes harder to define when circumstances change, and the structures that once held relationships in place fall away.

Over more than twenty years of caring for our disabled daughter, I’ve learned that some relationships fade not because people are unkind, but because endurance asks more than sympathy. When a situation becomes long-term instead of temporary, love is tested quietly.

When Hannah moved into a nursing home last August, many relationships naturally shifted. Nurses who had cared for her in our home for years were no longer part of our daily lives. That was expected. Roles had changed.

But one nurse continued to come to Hannah’s room even after she had no professional obligation to do so. She washed Hannah’s hair, brushed it slowly, sat with her, and talked with her. She wasn’t doing that for us. She was doing it for Hannah.

Hannah could not communicate in typical ways, but she was clear about how she felt around the people who cared for her. On those days, she was visibly calmer and at ease. Her body told the story her words could not. She knew she was being loved.

That care was not transactional. Hannah could not repay it. And yet the relationship was real and mutual. The nurse knew the difference her presence made. Hannah knew she was safe. Something meaningful moved in both directions, even though it looked different on each side.

Proverbs says that a friend loves at all times, and that a brother is born for adversity. It’s not drawing lines between friendship and family. It’s reminding us that love proves itself by staying.

Sometimes, family is defined by genetics. Sometimes it is discovered through faithfulness. Often, it is recognized only when obligation has ended, but love has not.

Father, thank you for love that shows up quietly and keeps showing up. Help us notice the gifts of presence we’ve been given, and shape us into people who offer the same to others. May our love reflect yours. 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/.

God is love. This simple truth is the heart of the Christian faith. God is love, and today’s beautiful and often quoted scripture from Paul’s letter to the Corinthian church describes how love shows itself in action. It can help us discern God’s activity in the world. If we substitute God for love, we can be reminded that God is patient and God is kind. God does not boast, and is not proud. God does not dishonor others and is not self-seeking. God is not easily angered and keeps no record of wrongs. God does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. God always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

I find this so comforting. It blesses me to pause and consider the tenderness, patience, and strength with which God loves me and all of those whom I love. God is love. It is a simple truth to which I cling. But simple does not mean easy. Simple can be challenging. Simple can be downright hard.

Whoever does not love does not know God. And that means that if I am trying to live as a Christ-follower, I should also be able to describe myself and my actions with these words. They teach me not only what love is, but how to love. What happens if I substitute my name for the word love in this passage? Is Greta patient? Is she kind? Does she envy, or boast? Does she dishonor others? Is she proud, self-seeking, easily angered? Or, here’s a tough one: does she keep a record of wrongs? Does she delight in evil, or rejoice with the truth? Can I say with conviction, Greta always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres?

Today and every day, may I be challenged to love as God loves. May I open my heart to make more room for God, that I might be perfected in love.

Dear God, you are perfect love. Forgive us when we love imperfectly, and transform us to love as you do, that the world might know you through us. In Christ’s holy name, amen.

Today’s 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/.

Let’s listen to some words of lament from two people discussing anger toward God:

Our prayer is from 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 your paths straight!”

Narrated by Ralphine Hood and Bernice Howard. Produced and recorded by Sam Barto.

The fourth chapter of 1 John, is the fullest discussion concerning the love of God that we find in our Bible. It is a richer and more challenging message than is to be found in 1 Corinthians 13, often called the “Hymn of Love.” It gives us a definition of God: “God is love.” Think about that. From the beginning of time, people have tried to describe and understand God. The writer of 1 John sums it up in those three words, “God is Love.” Because this is the very nature of God, we have the absolute assurance that God loves us. These are not just words of affirmation but also words of challenge. For the writer of 2 John this means that God is love, we must love one another. All of us who take the name Christian must understand that loving others is not a choice but our duty if we are to faithfully follow our God who is love.

We know how hard it is to love everyone. Let’s face it, there are people out there who, to our way of thinking, are unlovable. They have hurt us or ones we love. Others think or believe in ways we see as wrong. Then there are those who, by their choices, seem to have misery and brokenness follow them. But we are, as followers of Christ, to love them anyway.

When we do strive to love all people, this passage of scripture says some amazing things happen.

The first of these is that God lives in us. God knows how hard it is for us to love some people, and so we don’t have to try to do it all by ourselves. The God of love abides in us, giving us the power and strength to love. Think about it. Don’t we all want God to live deep inside us, helping us and bringing light to all of our lives? If God is Love, then the only way to make that happen is to love others. Loving others opens our hearts and lives to more fully welcome God into our lives.

Second, as we do this, God’s love matures within us. Loving as God wishes is a skill that is to be learned. And like all skills, the more you practice it, the better you get at it.

Finally, others, because of that love, glimpse God. No one can see God, but as we live out the command to love, there are glimpses of God for the world to see. The sure sign of God’s continued dwelling among us is our love for one another.

As I examine my responses towards people over the past few days, I see where I could have done better. I was not always loving others as God loves me. Those individuals did not, I am guessing, glimpse the light of God’s love in my actions. So this day and every day, I am going to live and love in such a way that God’s love will live in me, enlighten me, and grow in me.

O dearest God, you are the source of all love. When our actions betray your loving presence, forgive us. Strengthen us so that we can do better. We know your love is a gift not to hold but to pass on to others through our actions so that they can see you more fully and come to know you more deeply. Guide us and help us to love. AMEN.

This devotional was written by Bill Green 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...