"Jesus Loves Me This I Know, For The Bible Tells Me So"

The above verse from that simple children’s song, written in 1860 by Anna B. Warner (source), reverberates through the ages. Our world sinks ever more quickly into a morass of sin and ungodliness, but Jesus loved it enough to die for it (John 3:16). To do such a thing, He had to come among us and be in the world while not being a part of it (Philippians 2:5-8).

With a world population of over seven billion souls, Jesus loves me! This reflects the love of the Father in Heaven who made each one of us in His image (Genesis 1:26-27). We are not just a mixed bag of chemicals or intelligent animals walking around (Psalm 8:4-5).

“You mean poor ole sinful me?” The ‘me’s” of this world have hated, envied, lusted and murdered for thousands of years. In our pride and vanity, we like to imagine ourselves as the “master of our fate and captain of our soul.” We have taken the one true religion of Christianity and either made it into a staid, dusty, sour tradition, or a silly emotional circus. “And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God” (Luke 16:15).

In spite of all that Jesus still loves me. He loved me so much that He sacrificed Himself on the cross in my stead. I deserved to be on that cross, not Him! Through the Good News, He has provided a way of salvation for me – salvation from sin and eternal damnation (Hebrews 5:9; John 15:13-14).

Yet the beautiful truth of this song’s verse is that I can “know” that Jesus loves me. In our age of doubt and cynicism, this is a great blessing. This knowledge is not just some subjective catharsis but the truth! (John 8:32). With this truth we can overcome life’s challenges unafraid with the “peace” of Christ’s love in our hearts (John 14:27).

My friend, do you know the love of Jesus Christ? You cannot find it in books of devotion, philosophy, meditation, or the thoughts of men. I invite you to turn to the pages of the New Testament and find the love of Jesus Christ – “for the Bible tells me so.” —Roelf L. Ruffner

—Mike Riley, Gospel Snippets