7.9.2026 - Jody Duncan

Thursday, July 9

Ephesians 2:4-5

God’s love is unconditional

We read today from Ephesians 2:4-5. Read the passage now or at the end of this devotion. What do these verses teach us about God’s love for us?

Coming of age in the 1970s, I grew up in the culture of ‘unconditional love.’ The term was first coined by psychoanalyst Erich Fromm in the 1930s, then gained popularity in the 1960s, just as I was getting old enough to imbibe bad ideas. The concept, as espoused by humanist psychologists, professors of the Hippie persuasion, and countless popular songs, was that we should all aim to love one another unconditionally. Christian churches dove into the warm unconditional love waters as well, offering sermons and worship songs about ‘agape love.’

The definition of the Greek word agape: a selfless, sacrificial, unconditional love. I remember my youth group leader teaching us about agape. I also remember a song we sang in youth group:

“Unconditional love, a love God gives to all,

Unconditional love is what the world needs now.

A love accepting others as they are,

Expecting nothing in return.”

Wow, what kind of superhuman love was this lyricist writing about? Accepting others are they are? Expecting nothing in return? That’s a tall order!

While it is something to aspire to, I wonder if mere humans CAN love unconditionally. To love without conditions means loving the person who abducted our child, loving the man who pushed our elderly father down a stairwell, loving the swindler who conned us out of our life savings. It means the innocent teenage girl must love the man who assaulted her; the parents of a lost son must love the drunk driver who crashed into his car.

Try as I might, I don’t think I have that kind of love in me. I might – MIGHT – be able to forgive those trespassers, for all the reasons we are taught, as Christians, to forgive. But to love them? I fear that’s a leap beyond what I’m able to do. After all, if I love my spouse who takes care of me and has my well-being utmost in his mind, and I also claim to ‘love’ someone who has done me great harm, what kind of sickly, watered-down love are we talking about?

I wonder if true unconditional love can only be offered by God the Father. Perhaps unconditional love is another of his many supernatural powers. Only God can create the universe, and only God can love unconditionally.

And if that is so, the reason God can love us unconditionally is right there in this bible verse: he is rich in mercy.

I, on the other hand, am poor in mercy. Sometimes, I am downright bankrupt in mercy. Stories of mercy in the Bible shame me. The Good Samaritan was rich in mercy when he helped the beaten traveler. The father showed mercy toward the prodigal son when he returned. God, of course, demonstrates limitless mercy throughout scripture.

He shows it to us, as well, today and always. He was merciful in sending his Son to save us. He is merciful every time he forgives our sins. He is merciful when he loves us unconditionally.

God made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions. It is by his grace we have been saved.

Halleluiah! Let us savor the sweetness of God’s unconditional love today and every day.