(our theme for September)

I am by nature a peacemaker. Conflict and confrontation are extremely uncomfortable for me. Yet I have come to realize that sometimes conflict is necessary for growth, and while it may be painful in the moment, the long-term result can be positive.

We know that the church in Corinth, which Paul himself had established, was at times torn by conflict. In his letters, he admonished the Corinthians to adhere to the teachings of Jesus as he had taught them and refuse to allow the seeds of doubt planted by some to flourish. It was painful for Paul to see the church floundering when he had such high hopes for it to continue growing. Some dissenters had even questioned his authority. This pain is only one of the afflictions Paul bears as he continues to spread the Gospel of Christ.

These verses seem to be both a statement of Paul’s own faith and his continuing to teach and encourage the Corinthians. “We do not lose heart. . .” It takes incredible strength of spirit to continue doing the right thing when everyone around declares you are wrong.

“For this slight momentary affliction is preparing us. . .” No human being lives a life free of pain and sadness, but our reward in Heaven is far greater than we can ever imagine.

“Because we look not at what can be seen but at what cannot be seen. . .what cannot be seen is eternal.” Our reward is in Heaven and our time on Earth, however painful it may be, is temporary. Paul must be reminding himself as well as the Corinthians to remain focused on living their earthly life as followers of Jesus, knowing with certainty that the glory of Heaven will be theirs.

This attitude is certainly not easy to maintain. Having recently gone through an affliction of my own, a painful injury that required months of recovery time, I know how easy it is to be overcome by despair. My injury was not life-threatening, but I wondered many times if I would ever be able to return to doing the things I love – walking outdoors, going swimming with my granddaughters, exploring new places with my family. It was only through Bible study, prayer, and encouragement from friends and loved ones that I was able to persevere through recovery. Today I am almost back to where I was physically before the injury, but my faith is greater than before. I came to accept that whatever my condition would be, I could choose joy and gratitude because I am certain of the eternal life awaiting me.

The Church in Corinth was never perfect. Its members continued to grapple with doubt and disagreement throughout the early days of Christianity, but in these verses, as in many other passages in both 1st and 2nd Corinthians, Paul is teaching a lesson still relevant and vital: never give up and remain focused on the greatest gift of all – the gift of eternal life given through the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ Jesus.

Dear Lord, we acknowledge that life is hard. Yet we take comfort in your constant Love and reassurance. We are yours now and will be throughout eternity. Now be with all your children suffering physical pain, heart break, and grief. Comfort them and wrap them in the warmth of your presence. Thank you for this great gift.

Amen

This devotional was written by Pat Scruggs, and read by Leslie Ragland.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the...

(our theme for September)

These words about never-ending LOVE, that bears all things…and never ends makes me think of Mother LOVE.

No matter what I thought, said, or did, my precious Mother (God rest her sweet soul) always LOVED me. And no matter what my children think, say, or do, I LOVE them – now and forever.

God is LOVE and LOVE never fails. LOVE never stops. LOVE never abandons us! No matter what!

God LOVES us, all of us, so much that he forgives us for all of our bad or mean thoughts, words, and actions. Even when we try to hide from Him or forget to call Him or run away from Him – He just keeps on LOVING us; hoping we will LOVE Him back!

He proved this great LOVE when He gave His only son – Jesus Christ – to die for us! He raised Jesus from the dark isolation of the grave, and He wants to lift all of us from our darkness and isolation too!

Yet, He loves us too much to force us to stay home with Him! He leaves the choice to LOVE or leave up to us! I choose to LOVE! I hope you do too!

When we choose to LOVE and reach for Him, we find Him closer than our own breath! Like a Loving Mother, God is always near, just waiting for us to return the greatest LOVE ever known!

With that act of returning God’s LOVE, we suddenly gain the power to LOVE our neighbors too! And we sure do need that power in times like these!

Dear God, thank you with all my heart for your amazing, never-ending LOVE! Please help me to constantly reach for that LOVE and to share it generously with my neighbors – all of your children on this Earth! In Jesus’ name, 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/.

(our theme for September)

As the good shepherd, Jesus is not just any good shepherd, but the righteous one with inherent goodness. Again the contrast is with the Pharisees as the hired hand quick to flight at the sight of danger. The same Pharisees that had no interest in recognizing Jesus as the Messiah and relinquishing their very comfortable, vaunted position in society. The shepherd of Christ’s time was the sole defense for the sheep from the raging elements from floods, to blasing snow, to blistering heat and sand storms. The shepherd stood alone to guarantee the survival of his flock, just as Jesus is our savior today!

Jesus makes it clear that it wasn’t just for the Jews that he laid down HIs life, but for the “other sheep” too, the Gentiles. Jesus is the Good Shepherd over all, both Jew and Gentile, who come to believe upon Him (John 3:16)

As Doris Akers writes it the refrain of one of her songs:

Thank you Jesus for being the Good Shepherd! We, the sheep, need your guidance and protection in this hostile world now more than ever. You made it clear that your Kingdom is not of this world. You laid down your life for us and our salvation. Give us the strength and determination to do your work. Amen.

Today’s devotional was written and read by Sam Barto.

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/.