Written by Cindy Smith
Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so; little ones to Him belong; they are weak, but He is strong.
Anna Warner penned this poem, in 1859, for a book her sister was writing. It was actually composed to comfort a fictional dying child. Both sisters held Bible studies, for forty years, at the famous West Point military academy. One of their most prominent students was General and subsequent President Eisenhower. When the Warner sisters passed away, both were buried with military honors and are the only civilians buried at West Point Cemetery.
This song has been sung for over a century to reassure us of Jesus’ love for all His children. How many times growing up has this little tune come to mind? We count on our Savior to love, protect, and guide us.
But we have a responsibility in this relationship – love is a two-way street. Jesus proved His love by paying the ultimate sacrifice on the cross for us. We know He loves us; does He know we love Him?
I John 3:18 says “My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.” Later, John continued to tell us that when we love God, we will keep His commandments and His commandments are not grievous. “My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not.” Jesus proved His love to us by His actions; we must prove that we love Jesus by living free from sin.
We need our precious Savior’s love in this ever-changing world. We must reflect Christ to be his disciple. Love suffers long, is kind, envieth not, seeks not her own, bears all things, hopeth all things, and endures all things, according to I Corinthians 13.
There are times in our lives when we need to remember what it was like to be a child. We were created to love God. When a child is born, they have an internal desire to love Jesus. The gospel of Mark tells us that we must become as a child if we are to comprehend the kingdom of God.
The second stanza of the well-known song reads:
Jesus loves me! He who died, Heaven’s gate to open wide; He will wash away my sin, let his little child come in.
Factual data verified via various Internet sources
