Life in this world is not easy. It is full of challenges and perils that can produce great stress and heartache.

Oh to list them: failed relationships, financial difficulties, work stress, health concerns for ourselves and for loved ones. Hard, hard, hard!

Jesus is there for us! He tells us that he is there for us, and that he will carry our burdens. He tells us to seek, and we will find, knock and the door will be opened! It is imperative for us to establish and maintain that relationship with Him!

We do that by reaching out in prayer, remembering the sabbath day and keeping it holy, and always asking for the Holy Spirit to guide us.

How bad does it have to be for a child to reach rock bottom and to ask out in prayer for someone to show him the way? That child was me. It was and still is crystal clear in my mind when that prayer happened. My father could not be bothered to take the time to spend it with me. I was floundering, and as a child I knew it!

It was a bright, springtime day as I stood outside by the street a door away from my home. My prayer was simple: “Please God, send someone to show me the way!” Now God answers our prayers when we establish a relationship with Him. We don’t always get the answer we hoped for, but sometimes we get more than we hoped for. Well, I can attest God met and exceeded my expectations. He sent more than just someone. He sent coaches Collar, Blend, Bradburn, Firing, Snyder and Gurski, men who taught me mental discipline, praised me, encouraged me, and put me on the path to success.

It is incumbent upon us to follow the words of Jesus and to walk the walk with Him on the twisting, turning roads of this world with its heavy burdens.

Dear Jesus, you have made it so clear in so, so many ways that you love each and everyone of us! Open our hearts so that we may follow your commandment, to love one another as you have loved us.

Amen.

This devotion written and recorded 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/.