Once when Fred Craddock, the renowned professor of preaching at Emory University, preached on the parable of the prodigal son, he began by telling the story. The young man, the prodigal, grabbed his inheritance, left home, and wasted what had been given him. After he “came to himself” as Jesus described it, he turned for home. In Craddock’s telling of the story, when he arrived back the father met him and said, “You listen to me. You made your decision, now you must live with it. From now on my love and effort will be for your sensible older brother.” “That,” said Craddock, “is the end of the story.” Long silence. “Well, that’s the way the story should have ended.”

As we know, it doesn’t end that way because it is a story about God’s love, and God’s ways are different. I have observed that most of us want justice for others but mercy for ourselves. But God offers mercy to everyone. Even those who certainly don’t deserve it. Including you and me. The gospel message is: God still loves you. Wherever you have been, whatever you have done. God loves you anyway. We all are the prodigal. And the father runs down the road with open arms to welcome us home.

It’s the message of Christmas. “For God loved the world (and all of us in it) so much that he gave us his son.” Christmas is about love—God’s love—for you and me and everyone!

Loving God, Thank you for Christmas, for coming to be with us, for loving us anyway. Amen.

This episode was written and recorded by Herb Sadler.

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

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

You are listening to Grace for All, a daily devotional podcast produced by the people of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee.

This is Scripture Saturday, a time when we pause and reflect on the scriptures we have read throughout the week. If you missed any of our devotionals on these passages, you can find them on our website at firstchurch.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

Now, we invite you to listen and receive Grace.

Welcome and thank you for joining us.

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

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

“Oh little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie!” These words echoed in my head this past Spring as I was fortunate to have traveled to Israel. One of the most memorable places was Bethlehem which, of course, now is neither the “little town” nor “lying still” as in the carol we love to sing. It is a bustling, diverse city. However, as others can witness, kneeling to touch the star located in the Church of the Nativity, where tradition says Christ was born, is humbling and standing in “Shepherd’s field” stirs your imagination as you gaze upward. While it is not the small, quaint village imagined in my childhood or often depicted in art, it still gave me new eyes and tugged at my heart. I felt different there. Israel is a place sacred to several religions and many feel different and find solace there. How sad that we cannot also find peace.

Lord, you sent your Son into a troubled world and the world did not know him. As we experience another Advent, our world is still troubled. Please help us see Bethlehem and Christ’s coming with new eyes. Help our hearts to feel that tug and be changed. Indeed, may the world feel that and find peace. Amen.

This devotional was written 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/.