For 10 years, my commute to work was 28 miles from my house in Walland to my job in the Seymour area. Most mornings, I'd catch the sunrise spreading across the sky—brilliant oranges and pinks painting the Tennessee hills. Sometimes I'd notice them, even pull over to photograph one when it was particularly spectacular. But looking back, I realize that even when I noticed them, I rarely paused to thank God for them. I'd think, "That's beautiful," and keep driving, already making mental to-do lists and rehearsing my day. I saw some of those sunrises, but I rarely came into God's presence with gratitude for what he was showing me each morning.

This verse is part of a larger call to worship in Psalm 95. The psalmist is inviting God's people to gather together, but notice how he tells them to come—not with a list of demands or complaints about how things should be different, but with thanksgiving.

The word "come" here suggests movement, intention. We don't stumble into God's presence by accident with gratitude. It's something we choose to do, a posture we actively adopt before we even open our mouths.

Thanksgiving isn't about pretending everything is perfect. This same psalm later warns about hardening our hearts and includes some serious reminders about Israel's past failures. The psalmist knows life is complicated. But he's saying that our entry point into God's presence—the way we approach him—should be marked by gratitude.

There's something powerful about starting with thanksgiving. It reframes everything that follows. When we lead with what we're grateful for, our requests sound different. Our frustrations find their proper size. Our perspective shifts from what's missing to what's already been given.

I think about how different my prayers would sound if I really followed this pattern. Too often, I barrel into God's presence like I'm filing a complaint with customer service. "Here's what's wrong, here's what needs fixing, here's what I need you to do about it."

But what if I came the way the psalm suggests? What if I started by acknowledging the good things already present—the breath in my lungs, the people who love me, the second chances I didn't deserve, the ordinary mercies that showed up today without fanfare?

The second part of the verse adds music and song to the mix. There's something about expressing gratitude that wants to go beyond just words. It wants to rise up, to celebrate, to make a joyful noise. Thanksgiving naturally moves toward praise.

Maybe you're thinking, "But I don't have much to be thankful for right now." I get it. Some seasons are harder than others. But even in the difficult times, there's something to bring before God with gratitude—even if it's just the fact that he's still there, still listening, still holding space for your honest prayers.

The practice of thanksgiving changes us. It doesn't necessarily change our circumstances, but it does change how we experience them. It trains our eyes to look for God's presence rather than just cataloging his absence.

So, before we launch into today's requests, today's worries, today's long list of what needs fixing, what if we started with thanksgiving? What if we came into God's presence by first naming what's already good, already beautiful, already sufficient?

You might be surprised how that simple shift changes everything else that follows.

Father, teach us to come into your presence with hearts full of gratitude. Help us see the gifts we've been given before we focus on what we lack. May our thanksgiving rise to you like music and song. Amen.

This devotional was written and read by Cliff McCartney....

Throughout the summer and early Fall of 2024, my three brothers and I, along with Mom’s caretakers, determined that she needed 24-hour care. A live-in rotation schedule was planned that included the family and a caregiver. Mother had been managing her daily living routine with caregivers coming each day to assist with meals, medication, housekeeping, socialization, and driving her to appointments, etc. The family assumed those tasks during frequent extended visits.

Mother was 105 years old, but with her cane, she was quite mobile. However, on Sunday, Jan 26, 2025, she experienced a fall. She was rushed to the hospital, and it was determined that she had a broken arm and had other injuries. A week passed, and Mom was transferred to a nursing home. Friends and family came to visit. The nursing staff kept Mom comfortable.

One afternoon, as I walked into the room, Mom asked, “Who’s there?” I replied, “It’s Steve, Mom.” “Oh, Steve,” she said, “who is that young man with you?” I looked around, but no one was there. She said, “Behind you. You don’t see him, do you?” “No, Mom,” I said, “I don’t. Perhaps it is an angel.” Then she told me that she sees them all the time.

I have to say, I was stunned. I have never had such an experience, and I drew no conclusions as to what took place.

But I have thanked God for the peace, love, and comfort he gave my beloved Mother during her journey home. On February 7, 2025, Mother took the hand of Jesus and took her first step into the eternal and beautiful land of light.

Thank you, Father, for speaking to your people through your word and providing peace even as we grieve those whom we have lost. May we have wholesome discernment and in all our ways, may we gain wisdom and be aware of the presence of your holy spirit in our world. Amen.

This devotion was written by Stephen F Hankal 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/.

This devotional 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/.

In Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. For we are the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and to those who are perishing. To one, the smell of death and to the other, the fragrance of life.

We have several butterfly bushes near our house. As I was mowing, I noticed how the bushes attracted many butterflies of different colors. I wondered what was attracting the butterflies to the bushes. Then, as I mowed closer to the bushes, the fragrance of the blooms on the butterfly bushes was nearly breathtaking. That and perhaps the color of the blooms was what was attracting the butterflies.

This experience made me wonder about myself. Hopefully, we all carry an aroma that, if not pleasant, at least is not offensive. I believe the word fragrance in the scripture is a metaphor for our actions, words, and ways in which others see us.

Is it the words we speak or, at times, the words we do not speak when perhaps we should? Is it the action we take or perhaps the lack of action when action is called for?

Might it be personal care for ourselves or care for others? Could it be the sympathy we offer or empathy when we have walked in others’ shoes?

We may just want to blend in and not be noticed. However, I believe Jesus would want us to be focused on others, humble, and a servant leader.

Some may, actually many may, get a good read on our “fragrance” by reading what we post or share on Facebook.

As we are called to make disciples and win others to Christ, we need to make sure our “fragrance” is appealing to others by our actions, our words, and overall “effect.” Many times we are seen or heard, even though we may not be aware of it.

Prayer: Dear God, help us to give off a “fragrance” that is appealing to others so that they may know we are Christians by our love, words, and actions. Help us to try to lead a life more like your son, Jesus Christ. Amen.

This devotional was written and read by Emmit Rawls.

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/.

This is a powerful verse that is a call for gratitude and praise for the everlasting and unchanging love bestowed upon us by the Lord. It’s a reminder to all of us to acknowledge and appreciate all the many blessings that He has given us because he loves us.

There have been many times in my life when I felt unlovable. One of the earliest instances I can remember is when I was punished as a child for some form of misbehavior that I don’t even remember. I do remember my dad saying that they were only punishing me because they loved me. At that point I thought to myself “ Well, I could do without this kind of love! I don’t feel loved right now!” Later in adolescence, I felt unloved when it seemed all of my friends were “going steady” except me. And even later after I lost my husband, I felt that no one would ever love me again like he did. It took time and quite a bit of reflection to realize that I AM loveable and the Lord does love me, even with my imperfection. And because of His love, he has given us so much to be thankful for. I try not to take this for granted.

When I see the sunrise on a beautiful fall day, I thank the Lord. When I gaze into my grandchildren’s faces, I thank the Lord. When I arrive safely at home from a trip, I thank the Lord. I experience so many blessings everyday that often go unnoticed but in reflection I can say ‘ Thank you Lord! I knew that was you! Thank you for loving me.”

Heavenly Father, You have shown us Your love in so many ways. Help us to avoid the distractions of the day and give You thanks for all the goodness You have bestowed upon us. Thank you for Your love! Amen.

This devotion was written by Virginia Hardwick 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/.

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, take a moment to 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/.

It’s only 8:15 AM, and I have already failed to follow this command! I used angry words and had vindictive thoughts this morning, after listening to something on the news. I was in total disagreement with the sentiment of the newscast, and I felt hopeless to do anything about what was happening. So, I prayed and prayed and prayed. I asked God for MY solution to the perceived issues and begged Him to fix things the way I saw best. I must confess that my solution was NOT loving and was not the way Jesus would have handled the situation, I’m sure.

Realizing this, I stopped in my tracks! I sat down and prayed immediately. I prayed for forgiveness and a change of my heart. I prayed for the people involved in the upsetting news and asked God to comfort and heal us all; to lead us in the way Jesus would handle life’s troubles. It felt good to pray this prayer, and my mind was calmed.

God brought to mind the Great Commandment to LOVE God and to LOVE our neighbor as we LOVE ourselves. I thought of the words of the ancient Chinese philosopher, Lao Tzu, who is credited with writing “Watch your Thoughts for they become Words, Watch your Words for they become Actions, Watch your Actions for they become Habits, Watch your Habits for they become your Character, Watch your Character, for it becomes your Destiny.”

Those news headlines that upset me this morning told of the what-ifs all over the world, and my worry gene kicked into high gear. Shel Silverstein warned of the what-ifs in his poem of the same name…

Oh, how we, like Shel Silverstein, let our imaginations run wild sometimes! That’s the most important time to turn quickly to God! If we want to find peace of mind and contribute to the peace the world so desperately needs, we must focus on the central message of Jesus – LOVE GOD and LOVE OUR NEIGHBORS – ALL OF THEM! We must stand firmly with Jesus and make sure all our thoughts, words, and actions reflect the way Jesus told us to live. (And if you are like me, the thoughts might be the hardest to tame!) But with God’s help, we can!

Usually, when I think about God’s blessings, I tend to reflect on all the ways God is pouring love and grace into my life. And while this is true, for God does surely bless us each and every day, Paul, in this letter to the Corinthians, wants us to look at blessings in a different way. Paul says that God is able to provide us with every blessing, not just a little but in abundance, “why?” so that we may share those blessings abundantly.

Another way to say this verse is that we are blessed by God to be a blessing. This makes me ask some hard questions: “How well have I done today, this week, or this month, sharing God’s blessings with those around me?” “When did I, upon thanking God for blessings received, also ask how I was to share them?” When I am honest in answering both of those questions, I must admit that there is room for improvement.

I have all the normal excuses, not enough time or resources, but then I remember that these gifts were given to me from God for this very purpose! And it really doesn’t take much time or material resources to bless others. I think of the stories I recently read. There was one about a boy mowing his elderly neighbor’s yard when he mows his own family’s yard, not for pay, but as a gift. Or, the woman who started going to a care facility when her mother was there, and noticing how many people had no visitors, taking some time to visit with them. She has continued going for a couple of hours each week, even after her mother had died, to be a friend. Recently, I helped at the church, and as the children lined up to get a snack, one young girl said to another, “You go first.” It was a small thing, but her friend’s face lit up with joy.

In this month, when our thoughts are more focused on gratitude and giving thanks to God for all of our blessings, the Apostle Paul reminds us to do one more thing. To not only say thanks to God for the blessings but to ask God to give us opportunities to share those blessings with those around us.

God who blesses us more than we can even imagine, we give you thanks. As your blessings rain down abundantly into our lives, help us to see who we can turn and be a blessing to those around us. Amen.

This devotional was written by Bill Green and read by Joey 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/.