This is the beginning of The Lord’s Prayer as told in Matthew’s gospel. But the Common English Bible makes more of a point of God’s Kingdom being here and now. The request to God is “Bring in your kingdom.” Jesus makes the point that the kingdom of God or, as it is described in other places as the kingdom of heaven, is not simply something to look forward to at the end of our lives but something to live out every day.

Jesus does not describe the kingdom in terms of jeweled gates or golden streets. Rather, he speaks of it in terms of mustard seeds, buried treasure, lost coins, fishnets, a wedding feast, yeast, or a farmer spreading seeds. These are things his audiences lived with every day, not something they imagine in the future. The kingdom of God is here and now.

All this is not to say that heaven is not important; but Jesus’ focus, his teaching and miracles had more to do with meeting the needs of the daily lives of people and serving them in love.

In fact, Jesus tells us in Matthew 25 that the final exam for kingdom living is how we feed the poor, offer drink to the thirsty, show hospitality to the stranger, clothe and visit the needy and imprisoned, and care for the sick. These things have less to do with proper theology and more to do with how we live our lives and love our neighbors. This is how God’s will is done on earth as it is in heaven. Let this be our fervent prayer.

Father God, bring in your Kingdom. Show us every day how to experience kingdom living by how we love and care for each other with Jesus as our ultimate example. It’s in his name we pray. Amen.

This devotional was written and read by Charlie Barton

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 passage details Isaiah’s vision of God’s heavenly throne room where angelic beings declare that the whole earth is full of his glory. This means God is present in everything on earth. His glory is reflected in the seasons, the ocean’s waves, skies of blue and gray, the sounds of children playing and even in quiet moments of reflection.

In our fast paced lives we often overlook God’s magnificent glory in things around us. Isaiah’s vision reminds us to pause and appreciate God’s creation and love. Whether it is the wonders of nature, the birth of a baby or the sound of birds in the trees, God’s creation and ever present glory permeates the world around us.

This is most apparent to me when I visit the Smokey Mountains near my home. Isaiah’s vision of heaven is grand and awe-inspiring. Angelic beings circle the throne of God, calling out His holiness with powerful voices. Yet, the same glory that fills heaven also saturates the quiet beauty of earth. In the stillness of the mountains, away from life’s noise, we can often sense God’s presence most clearly. The towering peaks, the flowing streams, and the vast skies seem to echo the seraphim’s song: “holy, holy, holy, is the Lord Almighty- the whole earth is full of his glory.”

Isaiah 6:3 challenges us to shift our perspective—to see beyond the surface and recognize that the world is a reflection of God’s creative power and love. Knowing that the earth is filled with God’s glory calls us to live lives that honor Him—showing kindness, seeking justice, and extending grace to others.

God’s holiness isn’t distant—it’s near, surrounding us and calling us to notice, to worship, and to live lives that honor His glory. Today, slow down, look around, and embrace the beauty of a world filled with His presence.

Lord Almighty, Your holiness echoes through the heavens and across the earth. In the peacefulness of the mountains, I sense the depth of Your glory and the serenity of Your presence. Quiet my heart so that I can hear Your voice and see Your beauty in all creation. Help me to live in constant awe of who You are. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

This devotion was written by Gary Hensley and read 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/.

Psalm 19 is the inspiration for a familiar hymn, “For the Beauty of the Earth.” The lyrics begin:

These words from the hymn are familiar to many of us. They express wonder and awe at God’s creation. We all have sunrise and sunset moments of awe, seasonal moments of awe, and weather moments of awe.

But in these dissonant times, more often I find myself turning inward and seeking messages of certainty and validation through my friends on social media and texts. I forget that we humans are a microcosm in time, and that we exist in a world created by God, a world of oxygen that allows me to breathe in and out, a world of gravity that allows me to move in predictable ways, a world of taste, touch, sight, sound, and smell.

I live in a senior community, and all our residents are blessed to receive a daily email from a neighbor, Bob. Bob is a man of science who seeks beauty in the natural world and photographs it. Over the years he has helped me see anew the glory that is all around: in the snowflakes of winter, tiny flowers in groundcovers, Lenten roses, the first daffodils and crocuses, the swelling buds on trees, the fungi that explode into mushrooms, and yes, even the exquisite beauty of dandelions. Bob sends a photograph and provides both scientific and historical information and makes us see things new.

And recently, our adult Sunday school class enjoyed a presentation on a book titled The Power of AWE.

AWE stands for Attention, Wait, and Expand. The author promises that investing one minute a day in the immediate moment will ‘”overcome burnout and anxiety, ease chronic pain, and bring clarity and purpose.” That’s a large order! But essentially, it’s what my neighbor Bob does when he creates an AWE moment with his emails. I now search daily for the AWE in my world. A friend and I have expanded AWE to AWES by adding the word SHARE. In this way we create community and joy each day.

And in this way, we see again that the earth is the Lord’s and that we must care for God’s gift and work as stewards of God’s creation. When we stop and pay attention to the birds, insects, water, and plants that inhabit this beautiful world, we realize that we must be better stewards of God’s creation.

Dear Lord, who has set your glory throughout the heavens and the earth, open our senses to your glory and create in us a sense of awe. Help us to become true stewards of your creation, not just consumers. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

This devotion was written by Laura Derr and read by Judy Wilson.

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/.