Jesus Loves Me This I Know

Anna Warner and her sister, Susan, lived near West Point Military Academy and regularly led Bible studies for the cadets. Susan became a best selling novelist. In 1860 she wrote Say and Seal, a story about a dying child being helped by his teacher and her boyfriend. Anna, who also wrote novels and poems, wrote a special poem for Say and Seal. It was sung to the dying boy even though it was just a poem without music. Composer William Bradbury read the poem in the novel and composed the simple yet profound melody. It has become the best children’s hymns of all time. We know it as “Jesus Loves Me.” It still inspires children of all ages.

There’s a story of a Church in Atlanta honoring one of its senior pastors who had been retired many years. Following his introduction the 92 year old pastor rose from his high back chair and slowly walked to the podium. He placed both hands on the pulpit to steady himself and then quietly began to speak. 

“When I was asked to come here today and talk to you, I was asked to tell you the greatest lesson I ever learned in my 50 odd years of preaching. I thought about it for a few days and decided there was just one thing that made the most difference in my life and sustained me through all my trials. The one thing that I could always rely on when tears and heart break and pain and fear and sorrow paralyzed me……the only thing that would comfort was this verse.”

“Jesus loves me this I know.
For the Bible tells me so.
Little ones to him belong,
We are weak but he is strong…..
Yes, Jesus loves me…
The Bible tells me so.”

God’s love so beautifully expressed by this pastor and by so many others does not just apply to children or young people. It relates to us all through life and becomes especially encouraging in our later years. Someone has even come up with a Senior Adult version of the song. It says,

Jesus loves me, this I know,
Though my hair is white as snow.
Though my sight is growing dim,
Still He bids me trust in Him.

Though my steps are oh, so slow,
With my hand in His I’ll go
On through life, let come what may,
He’ll be there to lead the way.

Though I am no longer young,
I have much which He’s begun.
Let me serve Christ with a smile,
Go with others the extra mile.

When the nights are dark and long,
In my heart He puts a song.
Telling me in words so clear,
“Have no fear, for I am near.”

When my work on earth is done,
And life’s victories have been won.
He will take me home above,
Then I’ll understand His love

YES, JESUS LOVES ME
YES, JESUS LOVES ME
YES, JESUS LOVES ME
THE BIBLE TELLS ME SO

To love God is no extraordinary thing. All that we know of Him shows He is lovely, loveable and loving. The reverse is what’s extraordinary. That God could love us is almost incomprehensible. We are often unlovely but He did not let us go unloved. How could we ever adequately express our gratitude and thanks for His personal and unconditional love? The eternal miracle is that God loves us. From John 3:16 to I John 4:9-10, 19 and many other passages we can see this powerfully described. It’s like He is saying to us, “I love you, is that alright?” Let’s joyfully reply, “Yes, Lord, that’s alright.”

Till next time, Don Johnson, Kirby Pines Chaplain