As I sit and write this, I am looking out of the windows as the sun rises in the sky. Birds come and go from tree to lawn to tree. Baby bunnies hop across the yard. Although the trees are still, the clouds are moving quickly across the sky. The dew glistens on the grass as the sunlight reaches past the shadow of a tree. I listen as well. I hear birds. There is an occasional jet as it passes overhead. The traffic has not yet started.

It is still a quiet moment outside and in my heart. Soon I will rise and begin the rest of my day. There will be noise and work and worry. There will be decisions and distractions. There will be people I meet who are filled with joy and filled with grief.

I have sat here long enough that a cloud has covered the sun, and the glimmer on the dew is gone. It makes me wonder not what I will see but what others will see when they look at me. Will they see a glimmer and shine like a bright sun on the morning dew, or will they see a shadow dark and wait for it to pass?

It makes me wonder what noise I will make during the day. Do I hear the sounds I make, or am I deaf to my own cadence and cry? Do I sing God’s praises as I interact? Do my footsteps plod along or tap a dance of joy?

Is my presence in a given moment something that allows for God’s praise? Do I bring the joy of creation in my heart? If I am in the LORD’s presence every moment, let me sing so that others may hear the joy. May my steps ring true. When I meet others throughout each day, may my noise bring harmony, not discord. May the light of my actions and words be a song to the LORD that others see and hear.

And when I walk in silence with those who wonder where light has gone, may the sound of my steps guide them through darkness because the light of our LORD is being praised. May we hear the songs of praise in the birds and the breeze.

Please join me in prayer. LORD, may the noise we make be a joyful celebration of you and all you have given us. Even when we lose sight of the light, may we hear. When noise and distraction steal our focus, may we sing in our hearts with praise and thanksgiving that you are there with us always, 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/.

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 1stChurch.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

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 word of Christ is made up of the teachings of Jesus and the good news concerning his life, death, and resurrection. It is to be our guide for living as Jesus taught, our guide for living a life that reflects Jesus to those around us.

To know if I am following this instruction, I have to begin by asking myself, “What dwells in me richly?” In other words, what “lives” in me? What does the world see when it sees me?

We live in or dwell in our homes. We’ve got all our stuff there, all our possessions, and the family and things we love. We likely keep our dwelling place free of garbage and trash, especially when we expect people to come in and see our dwelling place. We may scurry around cleaning and straightening up when we expect someone to come by and see our home. We take out the garbage and dust and sweep the floors, making our dwelling place clean and orderly.

Perhaps we should ask, “Do I need to do some scurrying around and cleaning and straightening up for Jesus to dwell in me? Is the dwelling place of my life fit for Jesus? Do my thoughts, words, and deeds show the world that I am a dwelling place for Jesus? Have I centered my thinking on loving God and loving my neighbors? Or am I full of anger, bitterness, worry, turmoil, hurts, and fears? Have I swept out the garbage and dusted the corners of my mind to make plenty of room for Christ to dwell in me richly today? Or do I need a good Spring cleaning?”

Perhaps we should all take some time every morning to put our internal dwelling place in order, allowing Christ to have the first and best place to dwell. We should bow in prayer, sweeping out the debris of bad thoughts that accumulated in the corners of our minds yesterday. Then we should read some scripture, listen to some Psalms, or hymns to center our thoughts and invite Christ to come right in and dwell in us today. And we should not forget that word “admonish” in today’s scripture. We are to admonish or remind each other of our goal as Christians, as the Church, to let the word of Christ dwell in us, today and every day.

Dear Lord, help us, your children, to focus on the goal of allowing you to dwell richly in us, today and every day. Help us to let go of the woes of the world, to sweep away the angry thoughts and hateful feelings that have accumulated in the corners of our minds. Guide us today and dwell in us richly, centering us in your LOVE, so others will see the Word of Christ in us. And 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/.