Jesus Loves Me, This I Know
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What a great song, Jesus Loves Me. Though known as a children's song, I feel it is a wonderful reminder for all of us adults as well, especially the adults who have come to doubt those words. *Lyrics and History of song below.
It's a sad thing when we adults begin to grow older we lose faith. And not just in God, but in dreams too. It's like we throw God and dreams in with the tooth fairy or Santa Clause; "those are childs play and only for the minds of children".
I am reminded of what Jesus said, in Matthew & Luke's gospel...
Matthew 18:4 "Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven."
Luke 18:17 "I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it."
I often have wondered what Jesus was really saying here? Could it be that he was referring to the child-like faith of little ones? Or that it's so easy for a child to believe in what is unseen. Unlike we adults who feel that, "if you can not see it then it is not real". I am reminded of a couple more scriptures...
Matthew 6:6 "But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you."
2 Corinthians 4:18 "So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."
Oh to have child-like faith that says and believes with the whole heart, Jesus Loves Me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so!
First, know today and everyday, JESUS LOVE YOU, no matter what you've done, or what you are doing now... He longs for a relationship with you! Invite Him into your life today - you'll be glad you did. Secondly, begin to dream again! What do you want to become? What do you want to do in life? What do you want to accomplish? Dream again!
- Timmy
JESUS LOVES ME
Words: Stanza 1, bio("Anna B. Warner","w/a/r/warner_ab")
Anna B. Warner, 1860. Stanzas 2-3, David Rutherford McGuire. This hymn first appeared in the novel Say and Seal, by Warner’s sister Susan; she wanted a song for a Sunday School teacher to sing to a dying boy, and asked Anna to write it.
Music: bio("William B. Bradbury","b/r/a/bradbury_wb")
William B. Bradbury, 1862
Jesus loves me! This I know,For the Bible tells me so.
Yes, Jesus loves me!Yes, Jesus loves me!Yes, Jesus loves me!
Jesus loves me still today,Walking with me on my way,
Jesus loves me! He who diedHeaven’s gate to open wide;
Jesus loves me! He will stayClose beside me all the way;
The Rev. Dr. Jacob Chamberlain, who for many years has been working among the Hindus, writes as follows regarding this hymn, long one of the most popular children’s songs in the world: “Many years ago I translated into Telegu the children’s hymn, ‘Jesus loves me’ and taught it to the children of our day-school. Scarcely a week later, as I was going through the narrow streets of the native town on horseback, I heard singing that sounded natural, down a side street. I stopped to listen, cautiously drawing up to the corner, where unobserved I could look down the street and see and hear. And there was a little heathen boy, with heathen men and women standing around him, singing away at the top of his voice: ‘Jesus loves me this I know…’
As he completed the verse some one asked the question: ‘Sonny, where did you learn that song?’ ‘Over at the Missionary School,’ was the answer. ‘Who is that Jesus, and what is the Bible?’ ‘Oh! the Bible is the book from God, they say, to teach us how to get to heaven, and Jesus is the name of the divine Redeemer that came into the world to save us from our sins; that is what the missionaries say.’ ‘Well, the song is a nice one. Come, sing us some more.’ And so the little boy went on—a heathen himself, and singing to the heathen—about Jesus and his love. ‘That is preaching the Gospel by proxy,’ I said to myself, as I turned my pony and rode away, well satisfied to leave my little proxy to tell his interested audience all he himself knew, and sing to them over and over that sweet song of salvation.”
cite("Sankey","sankey","179-80")
Sankey, pp. 179-80
In 1891, when my grandfather, Rev. Harutune S. Jenanyan, took his wife and little daughter on a perilous and dangerous missionary journey from Tarsus, Asia Minor, the city of St. Paul, to Sivas in Armenia, they travelled on horse-back through robber-infested country for fourteen days. Two of the leading robber chiefs on that territory were Chollo, whose “name cast terror on every side” since he had successfully evaded pursuing Government forces for many months, and Kara Agha, a famous Koorish chief, whose name caused even the fearsome Chollo to tremble. Harutune took his small party directly into the heart of Kara Agha’s country, telling those he met enroute that he was going to be Agha’s guest in his own village. When they reached the brigand’s head-quarters, the missionary asked that they be received as guests for the night. The surprised robber chief gave them accommodations, entertaining Harutune in his own spacious tent while his wife, Helene, and their little daughter, Grace were cared for in another tent by the women of the village. The next morning, before taking their leave, the missionary asked for permission to read a portion of the Holy Scripture, and then offered a prayer. Seeing that the chief was somewhat affected, he then said, “Do you wish to have the little child sing for you?” The chief replied, “Oh yes; can she?” Then little Grace, only three-and-a-half years old, came forward and stood before the tall old man and sang two songs she had recently learned in the Sunday School in Tarsus, singing them in the native tongue, “Jesus loves me, this I know” and “I want to be an angel”. The chief was so deeply touched, that he sent his own son, Bekkeer Agha, mounted on a handsome Arabian steed, to lead the small missionary party through the rest of his territory.
It's a sad thing when we adults begin to grow older we lose faith. And not just in God, but in dreams too. It's like we throw God and dreams in with the tooth fairy or Santa Clause; "those are childs play and only for the minds of children".
I am reminded of what Jesus said, in Matthew & Luke's gospel...
Matthew 18:4 "Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven."
Luke 18:17 "I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it."
I often have wondered what Jesus was really saying here? Could it be that he was referring to the child-like faith of little ones? Or that it's so easy for a child to believe in what is unseen. Unlike we adults who feel that, "if you can not see it then it is not real". I am reminded of a couple more scriptures...
Matthew 6:6 "But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you."
2 Corinthians 4:18 "So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."
Oh to have child-like faith that says and believes with the whole heart, Jesus Loves Me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so!
First, know today and everyday, JESUS LOVE YOU, no matter what you've done, or what you are doing now... He longs for a relationship with you! Invite Him into your life today - you'll be glad you did. Secondly, begin to dream again! What do you want to become? What do you want to do in life? What do you want to accomplish? Dream again!
- Timmy
JESUS LOVES ME
Words: Stanza 1, bio("Anna B. Warner","w/a/r/warner_ab")
Anna B. Warner, 1860. Stanzas 2-3, David Rutherford McGuire. This hymn first appeared in the novel Say and Seal, by Warner’s sister Susan; she wanted a song for a Sunday School teacher to sing to a dying boy, and asked Anna to write it.
Music: bio("William B. Bradbury","b/r/a/bradbury_wb")
William B. Bradbury, 1862
Jesus loves me! This I know,For the Bible tells me so.
Little ones to Him belong;They are weak, but He is strong.
Refrain
Yes, Jesus loves me!Yes, Jesus loves me!Yes, Jesus loves me!
The Bible tells me so. Jesus loves me! This I know,As He loved so long ago,
Taking children on His knee,Saying, “Let them come to Me.”
Refrain
Jesus loves me still today,Walking with me on my way,
Wanting as a friend to giveLight and love to all who live.
Refrain
Jesus loves me! He who diedHeaven’s gate to open wide;
He will wash away my sin,Let His little child come in.
Refrain
Jesus loves me! He will stayClose beside me all the way;
Thou hast bled and died for me,I will henceforth live for Thee.
Refrain
The Rev. Dr. Jacob Chamberlain, who for many years has been working among the Hindus, writes as follows regarding this hymn, long one of the most popular children’s songs in the world: “Many years ago I translated into Telegu the children’s hymn, ‘Jesus loves me’ and taught it to the children of our day-school. Scarcely a week later, as I was going through the narrow streets of the native town on horseback, I heard singing that sounded natural, down a side street. I stopped to listen, cautiously drawing up to the corner, where unobserved I could look down the street and see and hear. And there was a little heathen boy, with heathen men and women standing around him, singing away at the top of his voice: ‘Jesus loves me this I know…’
As he completed the verse some one asked the question: ‘Sonny, where did you learn that song?’ ‘Over at the Missionary School,’ was the answer. ‘Who is that Jesus, and what is the Bible?’ ‘Oh! the Bible is the book from God, they say, to teach us how to get to heaven, and Jesus is the name of the divine Redeemer that came into the world to save us from our sins; that is what the missionaries say.’ ‘Well, the song is a nice one. Come, sing us some more.’ And so the little boy went on—a heathen himself, and singing to the heathen—about Jesus and his love. ‘That is preaching the Gospel by proxy,’ I said to myself, as I turned my pony and rode away, well satisfied to leave my little proxy to tell his interested audience all he himself knew, and sing to them over and over that sweet song of salvation.”
cite("Sankey","sankey","179-80")
Sankey, pp. 179-80
In 1891, when my grandfather, Rev. Harutune S. Jenanyan, took his wife and little daughter on a perilous and dangerous missionary journey from Tarsus, Asia Minor, the city of St. Paul, to Sivas in Armenia, they travelled on horse-back through robber-infested country for fourteen days. Two of the leading robber chiefs on that territory were Chollo, whose “name cast terror on every side” since he had successfully evaded pursuing Government forces for many months, and Kara Agha, a famous Koorish chief, whose name caused even the fearsome Chollo to tremble. Harutune took his small party directly into the heart of Kara Agha’s country, telling those he met enroute that he was going to be Agha’s guest in his own village. When they reached the brigand’s head-quarters, the missionary asked that they be received as guests for the night. The surprised robber chief gave them accommodations, entertaining Harutune in his own spacious tent while his wife, Helene, and their little daughter, Grace were cared for in another tent by the women of the village. The next morning, before taking their leave, the missionary asked for permission to read a portion of the Holy Scripture, and then offered a prayer. Seeing that the chief was somewhat affected, he then said, “Do you wish to have the little child sing for you?” The chief replied, “Oh yes; can she?” Then little Grace, only three-and-a-half years old, came forward and stood before the tall old man and sang two songs she had recently learned in the Sunday School in Tarsus, singing them in the native tongue, “Jesus loves me, this I know” and “I want to be an angel”. The chief was so deeply touched, that he sent his own son, Bekkeer Agha, mounted on a handsome Arabian steed, to lead the small missionary party through the rest of his territory.
