God's Love...Again, and Again, and Again

A word that reminds me of God's love is the word “again.”

The word again echoes throughout scripture as a divine pattern of renewal, rebirth, second chances, forgiveness, and boundless grace. Again invites us to rise, return, and retry, again and again and again... as many times as we need.

Our Heavenly Parents and Jesus Christ are Gods of consistency and love, who repeatedly offer us forgiveness and opportunities for growth. They see us not for who we were yesterday or are today, but for the divine potential we can become...the divine greatness we already are. In Their eyes, our past is not greater than our potential, and Their design is greater than any plan I may have.

God is Relentless...He is a God of Love...again and again.

God repeatedly invites us to extend our reach beyond our grasp and to grab His outstretched hands, again and again. We may feel content, but God wants us to go towards something far greater... a “land choice above all other lands” (2 Nephi 1:5). This truth reflects His divine nature… a God who wants the very best for us, who envisions a future far greater than we can imagine for ourselves.

Christ’s invitation to, “Come unto me” (Matthew 11:28) is not a one-time occurrence. Jesus and our Heavenly Parents are constantly calling out to us, inviting us to align ourselves with Their divine power, love, and strength.

Yet, how often do we overlook this divine consistency? Sometimes what is plainly visible can go unnoticed when our focus is elsewhere. Are we blind (or just looking elsewhere) to God's presence, His blessings, and His unceasingly efforts to guide us, to love us?

God is in relentless pursuit of us, of our attention, so we can have a relationship. We are continually invited, and consistently gathered. Whether from gathering His people around Him, as described in 3rd Nephi 17, to patiently extend His invitation to, “Feed My sheep” in John 21, to walking alongside us unnoticed as in Luke 24.

Our Heavenly Parents and Christ persist relentlessly. They will not quit on us. They will not stop. They will not accept defeat. They continue again and again and again. NO MATTER WHAT.

What must we do to hear and see more clearly? Like Jericho’s walls that fell after 7 times around (Joshua 6) or Naaman’s healing after 7 washes (2 Kings 5), God asks us for consistent faithful effort. Small and simple daily acts of faith and spiritual work open our eyes to His power, presence, and love.

We are children of Heavenly Parents - Gods of again, and again, and again. They tirelessly pursue us, call to us, and They seek to guide us home again, and again, and again.

Here are six practical ways to apply the message of “again” to your daily walk with Our Heavenly Parents and Jesus Christ:

1. Return to Prayer… Again.

   • Set aside just a few quiet minutes today. Just talk…no right or wrong words, no needed structure format, just talk…then, listen. Maybe it would be helpful to grab a blank piece of paper and just write. Write whatever comes into your mind.

   • Use the phrase “again” in your prayer: “Heavenly Father, I come to You again…”

     
     

2. Reopen the Scriptures… Again.

   • Revisit a familiar verse with new eyes. Maybe start with one of the scriptures mentioned in the article:

     • Matthew 11:28

     • Luke 24

     • 2 Kings 5

     • 2 Nephi 1:5

   • Ask: “What is God inviting me to see or feel again?” “How does He call out to me again and again?”

     
     

3. Offer Forgiveness… Again.

   • Is there someone you’ve struggled to forgive? Ask God for help to release that burden one more time.

   • Maybe that person is us? What burden can we release…again and again.

     
     

4. Write a Journal Entry Called “Again.”

   • Reflect on moments when God gave you another chance or when you felt His influence.

   • Write down 3 times He met you with grace, love, and peace…again. It doesn’t need to be fancy…just a piece of paper and start writing.

     
     

5. Show Up for Someone…Again.

   • Reach out to someone who may need a reminder they are not alone. Your text, call, or visit could be the again they’ve been praying for.

   • Then do it again with someone else. Maybe a stranger at the grocery store or an old friend.

     
     

6. Just stop for a minute…Again.

   • Maybe this week, maybe today take a moment and just sit. We are often busy going from place to place, activity to activity, we continually have sound-podcasts, music, the radio, or a show. Take some time and just stop.

   • Imagine yourself sitting with Jesus. Just sit with Him. Then, learn what happens as a result of just sitting…and listening…again and again.

I promise you the Our Heavenly Parents and our Savior Jesus Christ adore you. They love you, again, and again, and again…with a love that cannot and will not end…no matter what.