Verses about God's Love, and Human Worth

I've started a side-project in my Bible reading recently to keep an eye out for verses that build a case for human value outside of our efforts and achievements. (It's something I constantly need to be reminded of myself.)

Anyone recommend any "go to" verses to be reminded of God's love for us and our worth in his sight?

There are of course many; which to choose? I'll list three.

1.
I guess I would have to start with THE go to verse: John 3:16
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

2.
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Rom. 6:23)
This verse was preached many times in the church I used to go to. That makes it very comforting to me, kind of a twin verse to John 3:16. It tells me that in spite of my impurity, my darkness, my sins - which would have lead to my death sentence many times - I am granted eternal life. Not because of anything I've done or will do, or even can do, but because God loved me so much that He gave His only Son for me, Jesus Christ.
I'm using the first person here on purpose btw, to prevent this being some theoretical, abstract exercise.

3.
Here's one that particularly pulls my heart strings, being a single (divorced) woman with no children: Isaiah 54 - The entire book speaks to me, but if you want particular verses, these are extra special to me:

Verse 4 "Fear not, for you will not be ashamed; be not confounded, for you will not be disgraced; for you will forget the shame of your youth, and the reproach of your widowhood you will remember no more. 5 For your Maker is your husband, the LORD of hosts is his name; and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer, the God of the whole earth he is called. 6 For the LORD has called you like a wife deserted and grieved in spirit, like a wife of youth when she is cast off, says your God.

Besides being very comforting to me personally, these verses, this entire book, shows our worth: for even though we were rejected and forsaken, even though we were (are) very sinful and bore no fruit, God forgave us, cleansed us and made us His.
And He is preparing us to be His beautiful bride - again, showing our worth in the way He does that:
10 For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed, but my steadfast love shall not depart from you, and my covenant of peace shall not be removed," says the LORD, who has compassion on you. 11 "O afflicted one, storm-tossed and not comforted, behold, I will set your stones in antimony, and lay your foundations with sapphires. 12 I will make your pinnacles of agate, your gates of carbuncles, and all your wall of precious stones. 13 All your children shall be taught by the LORD, and great shall be the peace of your children. 14 In righteousness you shall be established; you shall be far from oppression, for you shall not fear; and from terror, for it shall not come near you.

ComiKate, I love it.

Often times at night I will pray Psalm 139, it makes me almost cry every time feeling God's love: "You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me...where can I go from your spirit or flee from your presence?...you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb..."

Also, along the lines of what ComiKate said for Isaiah 54, I often read Hosea 2 which for me shines so much with God's jealous, fiery, soul-changing, attitude smashing love. obviously the first half is what he does with his bride who has chased after other lovers, or as Psalm 119 says "Before I was afflicted, I went astray" but the second half...

""And it shall be, in that day" Says the LORD "That you will call me 'My husband' and no longer call me 'My master' For I will take from her mouth the names of Baal and they shall be remembered by their name no more."

"I will betroth you to Me forever; Yes, I will betroth you to Me in righteousness and justice, in lovingkindness and mercy; I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness, and you shall know the LORD."

I think of betrothal as that whole process where I man makes himself his absolute best to pursue a girl and fool her into marrying him. He gives his ABSOLUTE BEST during those dating days. Jesus I think does that to me everyday, all and forever.

Now this gets a little weird, but I compare that to Song of Solomon 2:

"My beloved spoke and said to me: 'rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away. For lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone...the time of singing has come...rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away!"

and

"Catch us the foxes, the little foxes hat spoil the vines, for our vines have tender grapes."

As if to say, to the Pursued "All of these little problems, they are nothing to me, my love for you is far greater." He constantly reassures her, despite her feeling ugly, unworthy, he will never stop pursuing her, she is already perfect in his eyes.

"You ARE all fair, my love. And THERE IS no spot in you....You have ravished my heart, my sister, my spouse; you have ravished my heart with one look of your eyes"





For me its enough to know that God took a helpless addict who did nothing in life but want to hurt everyone around him, and he never let him die, never let him go, inexplicably giving love on top of love in payment for crime. Every day the sun came up for him and the wind blew and honeysuckle went in his nostrils, and he never let him die in that state, he was never going to let him go no matter what.

As that song goes "Lost for words, so lost in love, I'm sweetly broken, wholly surrendered...you've called me out of death, you've called me into life, I was under your wrath, now through the cross I'm reconciled."

Just last week the pastor at our church preached on Matthew 10, focusing on verses 28-30 specifically.
It reads:
"Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows."

The concluding theme was about how God cares for these birds, which don't value up to much at all, so how much more does He care about us, who are priceless in His eyes?

I was on Jury Duty yesterday, and while I was out to lunch there was a bunch of birds that watch the people eating outside the courthouse and as they were jumping around picking up scraps, it reminded me of just how special I am to God.

This might be a sub-topic of what you're looking for... but are you interested in identity verses?

That is, who the Bible declares you to be IN CHRIST and BECAUSE OF CHRIST?
That is, who you are NOW. Not a place we're heading. Not in the future... but who we are right now in the Lord Jesus Christ?

I might be erroneously reading into what you're looking for.

Nathan James Norman wrote:This might be a sub-topic of what you're looking for... but are you interested in identity verses?

That is, who the Bible declares you to be IN CHRIST and BECAUSE OF CHRIST?
That is, who you are NOW. Not a place we're heading. Not in the future... but who we are right now in the Lord Jesus Christ?

I might be erroneously reading into what you're looking for.

YES! That is EXACTLY one type of text I'm looking for! Although what's been shared so far has been wonderful and useful to me. Thanks for bringing focus.

Paeter wrote:

YES! That is EXACTLY one type of text I'm looking for! Although what's been shared so far has been wonderful and useful to me. Thanks for bringing focus.

Cool.

Much of this comes from Neil T. Anderson's books (i.e.victory of the Darkness). He devotes a full chapter on our present identity in Christ.
He has a psuedo-devotional called "Who I Am In Christ" that has some wonderful insights.


Recently in church we actually corporately read a version of this list together. It was powerful.

I am Accepted ...
John 1:12 I am God’s Child.
John 15:15 I am Christ’s Friend.
Romans 5:1 I have been justifi ed.
1 Corinthians 6:17 I am united with the Lord (one spirit).
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 I am bought with a price; I belong to God.
1 Corinthians 12:27 I am a member of Christ’s Body.
Ephesians 1:1 I am a saint.
Ephesians 1:5 I have been adopted as God’s child.
Ephesians 2:18 I have access to God through the Holy Spirit.
Colossians 1:14 I have been redeemed and forgiven.
Colossians 2:10 I am complete in Christ.

I am Secure ...
Romans 8:1-2 I am free forever from condemnation.
Romans 8:28 I am assured all works together for good.
Romans 8:31-34 I am free from any charge against me.
Romans 8:35-39 I cannot be separated from the love of God.
2 Corinthians 1:21-22 I am established, anointed, sealed by God.
Colossians 3:3 I am hidden with Christ in God.
Philippians 1:6 I am confident that the good work God has begun in me will be perfected.
Philippians 3:20 I am a citizen of heaven.
2 Timothy 1:7 I have not been given a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind.
Hebrews 4:16 I can find grace and mercy in time of need.
1 John 5:18 I am born of God; the evil one cannot touch me.

I am Significant ...
Matthew 5:13-14 I am the salt and light of the earth.
John 15:1,5 I am a branch of the true vine, a channel of His life.
John 15:16 I have been chosen and appointed to bear fruit.
Acts 1:8 I am a personal witness of Christ’s.
1 Corinthians 3:16 I am God’s temple.
2 Corinthians 5:17-21 I am a minister of reconciliation for God.
2 Corinthians 6:1 I am God’s co-worker (1 Corinthians 3:9).
Ephesians 2:6 I am seated with Christ in the heavenly realm.
Ephesians 2:10 I am God’s workmanship.
Ephesians 3:12 I may approach God with freedom and confidence.
Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me

Thanks so much, Nathan! What a great resource! Can't WAIT to dig into all of these!

Thanks again for sharing that resource, Nathan. Just finished some extended "carpet time" with Jesus, underlining and meditating on the verses in that collection that I especially needed. It was a very good, restorative time for me.

Paeter wrote:Thanks again for sharing that resource, Nathan. Just finished some extended "carpet time" with Jesus, underlining and meditating on the verses in that collection that I especially needed. It was a very good, restorative time for me.

You're welcome.
Some of these verses have been convicting and transforming for me as well.