Welcome to the first day of 2025 and the Grace for All podcast, written and recorded by the members of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee.

My name is Owen Ragland, and I am so thankful you chose to listen to our devotion as one of the first things you do this year. Perhaps you made a resolution to spend more time with God either through the written or the spoken word, if so, I pray you will be successful in your endeavor.

Let’s begin the year with an instructive verse from Philippians 4:6 (the NIV translation);

This is a great verse to kick off our January theme:

Let Not Your Heart be Troubled.

For many people, even though it is a new year, it brings with it old problems. We have concerns about job security, food or housing security, reliable transportation, relationship issues with loved ones, and concerns about the state of our country and world. These can be very real issues and seemingly insurmountable problems. How is it then that the scripture instructs us not to be anxious about anything, but instead to lift up our prayers with thanksgiving? I can understand praying about these issues…I pray all the time for them to get better. The question is how do you pray with thanksgiving when you are praying for difficult issues to get better.

I believe the answer lies in the four words that precede this scripture. You see, before these words of instruction, you are told, “The Lord is near.” For me, everything changes when I know God is present with me. It reminds me of when I was a child and frightened; if my father or mother were close by, I knew that I did not have to be scared. They loved me and would protect me. God’s presence also gives me comfort and assurance, even when I am dealing with difficult situations. There is a great story in the Old Testament found in Deuteronomy chapter 31. Moses is commissioning Joshua to be the new leader of the Hebrew people and in verse 8 he says, “The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” The issues we deal with in today’s world are real and many of them are difficult. In my marriage, my wife and I committed to deal with issues together, I am not alone. We also committed to acknowledge God’s presence in our lives, as the Bible confirms in both the Old and New Testaments, the Lord is near, we are not alone.

Would you pray with me: Father God, I know you love me and desire relationship with me. I pray that I feel your presence with me, especially when I am struggling with difficult issues. Thank you for being near me, to give me strength to deal with the problems. Amen.

John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, wrote nearly two centuries ago that God’s grace is free to all and free for all. We are glad to proclaim that message today. As we enter 2025, the Grace for All podcast completes its first year of production having posted a new episode every day. More than 50 people of our congregation have been involved in the writing and recording of the devotions, and the podcast has had listeners in all 50 states and more than 60 countries. If you have been blessed by one of the devotions, please consider sharing it with a friend or directing them to find it listed on the podcast websites. The first six months of the daily devotions have also been published in a book that is