FOCUS VERSE: “From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.” —John 1:16 (NRSVU)
PRAYER OF PRESENCE: Dear Lord, help me to be present for all you have to offer in this moment. Amen.
SCRIPTURE: John 1:(1-9), 10-18
HYMN FOR REFLECTION:
Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOOYqrrE3vE
And Can It Be, That I Should Gain?
Charles Wesley, 1707–1788
Refrain:
Amazing love! how can it be
That Thou, my God, should die for me!
- And can it be that I should gain
An int'rest in the Savior's blood?
Died He for me, who caused His pain?
For me, who Him to death pursued?
Amazing love! how can it be
That Thou, my God, should die for me? - 'Tis mystery all! Th'Immortal dies!
Who can explore His strange design?
In vain the firstborn seraph tries
To sound the depths of love divine!
'Tis mercy all! let earth adore,
Let angel minds inquire no more. [Refrain] - He left His Father's throne above,
So free, so infinite His grace;
Emptied Himself of all but love,
And bled for Adam's helpless race;
'Tis mercy all, immense and free;
For, O my God, it found out me. [Refrain] - Long my imprisoned spirit lay
Fast bound in sin and nature's night;
Thine eye diffused a quick'ning ray,
I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;
My chains fell off, my heart was free;
I rose, went forth and followed Thee. [Refrain] - No condemnation now I dread;
Jesus, and all in Him is mine!
Alive in Him, my living Head,
And clothed in righteousness divine,
Bold I approach th'eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own. [Refrain]
REFLECTION by Rev. Linda Furtado:
As I’ve been wrapping my days in prayer at the start of this new year, I’ve found myself repeatedly reminded of the gift of God’s grace. Like many others, I’ve set goals for the year, only to fall short within days. Even so, the lessons that inspired my decision to pray with others, pray daily, and pray multiple times a day with purposeful intentions remain relevant. These are worthy aims to press onward. But is it too much? Can someone pray too much? Is it strange or unreasonable to “do church” in these or other ways?
In my youth, I vividly recall the freedom my three siblings and I had to jump in the van and head to church events. With my older brothers driving and pit stops to pick up friends, we’d find ourselves at Bible studies, church gatherings, or even exploring new places of worship. I remember us ringing in the New Year at watch night services, sometimes at unfamiliar churches or those of friends. Though we often broke unspoken boundaries—like wearing jeans to church—we did so with a passion for relationships, blending the paths of school, home, and our lives as Christians.
Looking back, it’s only by God’s grace that we navigated those moments so fluidly, especially given the less-than-perfect driving skills of teenagers behind the wheel. Yet that same grace allowed us to experience loving support and friendships across the Tennessee Conference of the United Methodist Church, connecting with youth groups from Pulaski to Murfreesboro, Nashville, and beyond. None of those blessings would have happened if we hadn’t committed to showing up regularly. And when we faltered, God’s grace met us and invited us to try again.
Even as the children of an itinerant pastor—where forming and keeping long-term friendships can be difficult—we benefited deeply from the experiences and connections of church life. Showing up and engaging became second nature, carrying into my college years at the Wesley Foundation at MTSU and the United Methodist Student Movement, and later into adulthood through jurisdictional and national connections within the denomination. Despite my own shortcomings, and the challenges faced by the church over generations, the United Methodist Church has consistently been a channel for God’s grace, drawing me and many others closer to God’s will for us.
Sometimes, I think we Christians misunderstand grace, imagining it as intangible or elusive—something hard to define, grasp, or attain. But I believe grace abounds, beginning simply with a word. Words are powerful. When God speaks, things happen. And when people of faith speak, God speaks through us. Had we as kids not believed our friends would join us at Bible study, our invitations would have lacked the power of evangelism. Had the adults in our lives not encouraged us and created opportunities to connect with others across the conference, we might have grown isolated with every move. But God works through our words, actions, and faith-driven choices. Though God knows we won’t be perfect, grace meets us as we strive to do better.
We have received the gift of life—life abundant—wrapped in grace. This grace enables us to walk, talk, and act by faith, free from the fear of failing at our resolutions. When we take steps toward connection and relationship, our passion for Christ speaks loudest, even when we fall short, fail to follow through, or hesitate to act the first, second, or third time an opportunity arises. God’s grace calls us to keep trying.
So, is it possible to pray too much, worship too much, fellowship too much, or serve too much? By God’s grace, I’m going to aim for too much anyway. Even if I fall short, grace tells me to try again and press on in all that is right, good, and pleasing to God. My hope is to continue connecting with others in a way that we can’t get enough of “doing church” together, however and wherever our shared love for God may lead.
Thanks be to God for you and for this moment—through today’s prayers and reflections, we are doing church together right now. By God’s grace, we will do even more in the days, weeks, months, and years to come.
CLOSING PRAYER:
Eternal and merciful God,
you have loved us with a love beyond our understanding,
and you have set us on paths of righteousness for your name’s sake.
Yet we have strayed from your way;
we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed,
through what we have done and what we have left undone.
As we remember the lavish gift of your grace
symbolized in baptism, O God,
we praise you and give you thanks that you forgive us yet again.
Grant us now, we pray, the grace to die daily to sin,
and to rise daily to new life in Christ,
who lives and reigns with you,
and in whose strong name we pray. Amen.
Closing Prayer from the Worship Sourcebook, page 92
WEEKLY PRACTICE: Jan 5 - 11 (Sun - Sat)
Confession: Releasing and Seeking Forgiveness in Prayer
Let this week be an opportunity to find hope in letting go. When we confess our sins, it is more than a statement. In fact, while a part of our liturgy every Sunday when we receive communion in worship, when we seek forgiveness we humble ourselves and open ourselves to be able to do more than we thought possible. The preferred practices and patterns of life have room to take root within us when we find freedom from our past failures and shortcomings. It’s like cleaning a home of junk food, when all that’s left are things which are good and pleasing to our bodies then there is plenty of room in the mind to take on the healthier habits and practices already available to us.
May the forgiving power of grace abound and sin no longer make a home in your heart and mind as you confess in your prayers before God and one another among people of faith. Amen.
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