Jesus Loves ....You & Me

I received this story a few weeks ago in an email and as I read its content, I was touched by the simplicity of its story….see if you don’t agree with the author that it’s all about the love of Jesus……

Instead of going to church last Sunday, I clicked on the TV and watched a church service in Atlanta…. the church was honoring one of its senior pastors who had been retired many years. He was 92 at that time and I wondered why the church even bothered to ask the old gentleman to preach at his advanced age.

After a warm welcome and introduction of the retired pastor, the applause finally quieted down and he rose from his high back chair and walked slowly to the podium. It seemed to take an eternity for him to get there as he shuffled his feet in an old man’s gait. Without a note or written paper of any kind, he placed both hands on the pulpit to steady himself and then quietly and slowly he began to speak....

"When I was asked to come here today and talk to you, your pastor asked me to tell you what was the greatest lesson ever learned in my 50-odd years of preaching. I thought about it for a few days and boiled it down to just one thing that made the most difference in my life and sustained me through all my trials. It is the one thing that I could always rely on when tears, heartbreak and pain seemed too much to bear… when 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,
I am weak… but He is strong.
Yes, Jesus loves me.... Yes, Jesus loves ME
Yes, Jesus LOVES me….
For the Bible tells me so."

When he finished, the church was quiet. You actually could hear his foot steps as he shuffled back to his chair. I don't believe I will ever forget it.

May be today, as you look back on your life (with a few more wrinkles and some gray or white hairs upon your head), you need to remember the message of this little song that most of us learned as children. Even now, when given the opportunity to sing this song, we blast it out at the top of our lungs and revel in the knowledge that Jesus loves us.


Maybe as the years have caught up to us, we might need a more age-appropriate version to remind us that we are never to old to trust the message of this little song….so, if your middle-aged or beyond, here is a new version just for us “experienced followers” of the Man from Galilee.

JESUS LOVES ME

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.

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

Though my steps are tired and slow,
Hand in hand with Him I'll go
On through life, let come what may,
He'll be there to lead the way.
(CHORUS)

When the nights are dark and long,
In my heart He puts a song;
Telling me in words so clear,
“Be not afraid for I am near."
(CHORUS)

When my work on earth is done,
And life's victories are won.
He will take me home above,
Then I'll understand His love.
(CHORUS)

I love Jesus, does He know?
Have I ever told Him so?
Jesus loves to hear me say,
That I love Him every day.
(CHORUS)

Loved as a child of the KING,
WPQ