I was on a weekend getaway driving through a trendy downtown area filled with coffee shops, restaurants, and breweries when I looked at a business and saw it was called Agape (uh-gāp). My first reading was the adjective with a long A (uh-gāp), and I thought what a weird name for a business. Then I read the second line of the sign and realized it was a health clinic-Oh!- agape (a-gáp-ē) the Greek for love. It made me wonder how often that caused confusion. It made me consider how easy or hard it is to recognize agape—God’s Love.

Agape: the love of God that is shared with all. A kind of love that means thinking of others, putting others first, serving others, sharing, and empathizing.

Mother Teresa, now known as Saint Teresa of Calcutta, is quoted as saying, "Prayer in action is love, love in action is service."

Does this seem like a paradox? Does prayer seem the opposite of action? Sometimes I think paradox is the reaction of viewing reality but realizing we haven’t been seeing what is really there.

Prayer is the act of expressing our hope. To bring hope into life, one must have faith that it will do good and then act to bring it to life. So let us pray that our actions will be filled with love.

The infinite love of God is shared with me and with all: every breath, every sip of water, every cell in my body, every moment in time, every leaf on every tree, every past, every future. All. I struggle to comprehend, let alone express, what God has shared with me. To return God’s love is to share it. To share in it. To give and to accept. To accept and to give.

Prayer gives me a quiet moment to think about this. To thank God for this. To be overwhelmed by this. To hope that in some small way I may share this.

Whether your action is big or small, it is action. Make it an act of love by thinking of others. Spread the agape!

Dear Lord of All, may we see your glory in everything. May we have the strength to see the things that we think are wrong and accept that we do not see well enough to know. Love us when we do not know what your plan holds for us or those around us. May we have the strength to turn our prayers into action. May we have the strength to share your love. Bless us in our efforts, and amen.

This episode was written by Jill Pope 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/.

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/.

A recent article in Time magazine reported research that questions a bit of conventional wisdom. We may think we shouldn’t bottle up our anger, that it’s healthier to vent and get it out of our system. But Professor Brad Bushman says venting is the worst thing you can do when you’re angry. A professor of communication at the Ohio State University who studies the topic, he says venting is just “adding more fuel to the fire.”

Paul knew that a couple of thousand years ago. He doesn’t tell the Colossians (and us) to put a lid on our anger, but to put the peace of Christ in control of our hearts. That peace doesn’t result just from a lack of conflict, but from the active pursuit of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.

That sort of peace begins with gratitude. In my experience, I have found it impossible to feel upset while I’m focusing on things for which I’m grateful. I’m not ignoring our challenges, of which we have many in our family. But when I focus on those things for which I’m genuinely grateful, peace descends upon me—ironically, giving me more ability to deal with the challenges!

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/.

The people of Israel were in exile. Many had begun to wonder if God has forsaken them. The prophet Isaiah speaks to them offering a new vision. God will reverse their circumstances. If they seek the Lord God can and will do amazing things. They will leave their captivity in celebration and be brought back to Jerusalem in peace. It is such an amazing promise that all creation celebrates, even the mountains and trees.

This word spoken so long ago is still a word for us. When we feel abandoned, in exile and full of questions, we too need to seek the Lord. When we do, we will begin to find peace. This is a peace that is not related to our current circumstances but comes from the knowledge that God is with us and wanting what is best for us. This is the message of Advent. God so loved us that God sent Jesus to be with us, to save us and to remind us we are loved.

When we truly have the peace of God, we stop needing answers for everything. We stop having to worry about everything going on in the world, and we can simply trust in God and trust that God is in everything to come. When we seek God’s heart, we find peace, an inexplicable peace that will guide us through this life and all the trials we face.

When I find myself getting upset about my personal situation or what is going on in the world, these words remind me to stop, to quit focusing on what is out there and instead turn again more fully to God. As I give each worry and concern to God I find that peace Isaiah promised.

I don’t know if all creation is celebrating when I do this. I don’t see any trees clapping their hands or the Smoky Mountains singing, but I do know God is rejoicing that I have again focused my life where it needs to be – on God my rock and my source of peace.

Loving God, when I feel like I am in exile, when I am full of doubt or fear, remind me to turn to you to find peace, a peace that passes all situations. AMEN.

This episode was written by Bill Green and recorded 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/.

Advent is a time of preparation for the birth of Jesus. The word Advent comes from the Latin adventus, which translates as “coming.” This time prior to Christmas emphasizes the need to pause and spend time in prayer and study, to ponder not only the beautiful story of Jesus’ birth in human form as a tiny baby, but also the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives today.

For me, the key word here is “ponder.”

One of the names given to the Messiah in Isaiah is Prince of Peace. When I think about peace in the weeks prior to Christmas, I have a hard time finding it. There’s just so much to do: baking, decorating, shopping, special events at church, and the list goes on. Peace, times of stillness, quiet, and gratitude, are hard to come by in these times.

And yet. . .it is imperative that we remember whose birthday is approaching. For Jesus to be the Prince of Peace in our lives, we must rely on him all day every day, even those crazy busy days, and keep his message of Love foremost in our words and actions. It’s hard to be loving and kind when we’re stressed and constantly hurrying to get the next thing on the list checked off.

Advent is not the only time to remember the need to rely on the Prince of Peace. Our whole world seems to be plagued by discord, hatred, and hurtful words and actions. While we cannot individually remove all the problems people are facing that cause anger and frustration, we can act as peacemakers and demonstrate compassion and care for others.

We do this both as a church and as individuals in all our dealings with others. We can seek to be a reflection of the Prince of Peace in all we do. Above all else, we can continue to pray diligently for compassionate solutions to the problems we face so that both individuals and governments can foster a more peaceful future for all. With the power of the Holy Spirit, it is possible.

Heavenly Father, we ask for your guidance as we prepare our hearts to celebrate the birth of your Beloved Son, the Prince of Peace. Empower us through the Holy Spirit to speak and behave in ways that demonstrate to others that His redeeming and transforming love are the way forward to happier, more peaceful lives for all. Amen.

This episode was written by Pat Scruggs and recorded 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/.

It is not easy to banish fear from our hearts. And there are times when fear is a specific response to a real threat in our environment that is natural and should be heeded. But let’s think about the other kind of fear. The fear that spreads like a virus. The fear that is our response to the unknown. The fear that is born of our -well- fear. It multiplies. It spreads from person to person. It is a cancer of our soul.

But peace has been left for us by Jesus. It is there – always – waiting for us to accept it. It was not given “as the world gives.” It is eternally in us waiting to be our focus instead of fear. This peace is a feeling born of trust and love. What a precious gift! Like God’s gift of his only begotten son, Jesus leaves his peace with us. It is ours to accept as we accept the gift of salvation, the gift of life, and the gift of an advent season filled with peace, love, hope, and joy.

In this advent season, look deep within yourself and accept the peace that resides within you. It is a gift that only you can accept.

Please join me in prayer, Lord Almighty, we struggle to trust and accept what you have shared with us. We are so small and frightened in a world so big and incomprehensible. Please help us to find the peace you have given us. Let our hearts be filled with the peace of knowing you are there to care for and love us. Amen.

This episode was written by Jill Pope and recorded 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/.