Jesus Loves Me

Jesus loves me, this I know,

For the Bible tells me so;

Little ones to him belong,

They are weak but he is strong.

Yes, Jesus loves me!

Yes, Jesus loves me!

Yes, Jesus loves me!

The Bible tells me so.

~ Anna B. Warner

Could we all say a hearty thank you to Anna Warner for this wonderful hymn? And her sister too. Miss Warner's sister Susan also was a writer and this text was a part of a novel they wrote together called Say and Seal. The book was a very good seller in their day (in the nineteenth century). Actually the words of this hymn were a poem which one of the characters in the story spoke as comfort to a dying child. They're wonderful words and how blessed these two sisters would be if they knew the impact they would have down through the years. If you'd like to be blessed, read about the lives of Anna and her sister Susan. You will be struck by the richness of lives such as theirs. 

Stories abound about this hymn. You'd be surprised at the number of adults for whom it remained a favorite, such as Francis Schaeffer. The most enthusiastic singing would come at our church's nursing home ministry when this song was sung. As Mr. Schaeffer has said, while people need intellectual answers to their questions, they also need a direct message to their heart. "Jesus Loves Me" does that. It speaks directly to the hearts of young people, but also to us of all ages.

I firmly believe, as did the Warner sisters no doubt, that what we learn as children is best learned. While salvation is from God, and cannot be passed on by us, the truths that lead to a person's conversion can be firmly implanted in childhood and who knows when and how God will use them.

So teach your children these truths. Teach them that the love of Jesus is the best love there is.

Lovingly, Maxine a/k/a Nanna