5 Verses that Remind Us of God’s Unconditional Love

Last evening, my online small group discussed how difficult it can be to accept God’s unconditional love. It’s too easy to feel like we have to earn God’s love. We beat ourselves up, wondering, “How in the world can God love me unconditionally? I’m so messed up!” 

When we’re battling negative self-talk, it takes more than a resolve to think positive thoughts. We need something irrefutable to replace those negative thoughts, and God’s word is the best place to look! Here are some of my favorite verses that set me back on my feet when I’m in a downward spiral:

“as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.” Psalm 103:12 (NIV). I think of this verse as God’s way of saying, “Do I have to draw a picture? This reminds me that God means what He says and says what he means about forgiveness.  It’s forgotten. Period. 

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8 (NIV). Jesus did not wait for an apology or to see whether we’d learned our lesson before He gave His life for us. God still knows that we fall short, and He loves us just as He did then.

“But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!).” Ephesians 2:4-5 (NLT). God is merciful and loves us because that’s who He is. Our salvation is a gift of grace, which we cannot earn. Even when we mess up, His grace, mercy and love are still there.

“How priceless is your unfailing love, O God! People take refuge in the shadow of your wings.” Psalm 36:7 (NLT) God’s love is unfailing, so we know it endures and will never change. We can depend on His unconditional love because, once again, it’s who He is.

“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38-39 (NIV). Well, this is pretty definitive. His love transcends everything. Nothing — that means nothing — can make God stop loving us! 

And that’s just a small sample. There are so many treasures from God’s word that are much better for us than those lies that we too often believe. My project is to collect and memorize verses to replace the negative self-talk. 

How about you? Do you have a favorite verse about God’s unconditional love? If so, feel free to share in the comments!

Finding Quiet Time

How’s your week going? You deserve a break, so pour yourself a cup and have a seat. Perhaps you haven’t enjoyed a quiet moment since the week began.

It’s taken a while — years, actually — for me to fully appreciate the necessity of regular quiet time with the Lord. For years, I nodded knowingly as I read devotions that reflect on the closer walk with God that develops during quiet time. Then I would set my Bible on the book shelf, where it stayed for weeks until another inspirational article convicted me.

“Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from him.” Psalm  62:1 (NIV)

Schedules can get away from us, and responsibilities and “shoulds” can convince us that we don’t have time. As a family caregiver and self-employed writer, I have certainly experienced unpredictable schedules and deadlines. I tend to take an “all-or-nothing” approach to regular quiet time: if I can’t commit to an hour at the same time every day, I don’t do it at all.

But I’m missing too much by insisting on perfection in my quiet time. When I can (which is most of the time), I do the hour at an allotted time. But I’m also aware of quiet moments when I can thank the Lord my Shepherd for guiding me through the day. A morning walk with our dog becomes a prayer walk. Waiting for a doctor appointment gives me healing time with the Lord.

So it’s a process that I know I will never perfect. Instead, I am thankful for hours or minutes in the presence of the One who can perfect my faith.

“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, 42 but few things are needed—or indeed only one.[a] Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:41-42 (NIV)

Sit a bit longer and finish that cup. Quiet your “shoulds.” Listen for Him. You’ll see that you’ve “chosen what is better.”

Monday Eye-Opener: With His Loving Eye

There’s something about Monday morning that brings a strong reaction. A glance at social media proves the obvious — that it’s not a popular morning of the week. But it’s also Blank Slate Day, with a chance to start anew. As Anne Shirley in Lucy Maude Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables notes, “Tomorrow is always fresh, with no mistakes in it yet.”

In my Monday Eye-Opener posts, I hope to find bits of encouragement to share as we start each week. It certainly helps when we know that we have a loving God who is watching and guiding us.

“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.” (Psalm 32:8, NIV)

Did you catch that? God not only watches us and instructs us — He watches “with a loving eye on you.” He loves us! Any counsel or course correction from Him is therefore always for our good and to give us hope. 

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11, NIV)

When we dedicate our week to pleasing God who loves us, we direct our intentions and energies to the One who has the wisdom and strength that no one else has. The One who created us with a purpose. The One who has loved us since forever, and who never changes or breaks His promises.

What could be a better eye-opener than that? 

Evidence of Things Not Seen

It’s snowing. Again. In January we thought we had skipped winter as we enjoyed sunny, 50-degree days. As the sun rose higher and daylight hours increased, the first buds emerged on our fruit trees. But less than a month before spring, it’s a different story. Most of February has been snowy, cold and gray. It certainly doesn’t look like spring is just around the corner.

I have to remind myself that cold weather is a necessity for fruit trees, and that deep roots store nourishment and keep plants going under all that snow. 

It’s like that with so many things that we hope for, isn’t it? Whether it's spring, improved health, or reconciliation with an estranged friend, we hope for and look forward to things we cannot see.

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1

We know that God is faithful.

"It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness." Lamentations 3:22-23

I hope that this blog can be a place of refreshment and remembrance of God's faithfulness. Let's look closely and recognize the hope and joy that we have while we wait. Like those apple tree buds that stay in spite of a late snow.

Or the pint-size snowman I built for our dog today.

As simple as the first sips of coffee in the morning. 

Hope you'll visit and comment often!