Hymns With A Message: I AM SO GLAD THAT JESUS LOVES ME

Sunday, October 13, 2013

I AM SO GLAD THAT JESUS LOVES ME

One of our basic needs is to be loved and accepted and today people are searching for that love in so many different places and ways. But true love can only be found in the love of God for us. In fact we are reminded in John 3:16 that God loved the world so much that He sent His only Son, Jesus, to pay the penalty for our sins so that we could have eternal life with Him. And in Romans 5:8 we are told that He showed His love for us while we were deep in sin. Now that is real love and we can experience it by accepting what He has done for us. Many great hymns have been written about this subject and if you've experienced this love than this week's hymn choice should be your testimony. We should be so very glad that Jesus loves us. It was written by P. P. Bliss, one of the great hymn writers of the 1800's. Of this hymn Major Daniel Webster Whittle, in his life of Mr. Bliss, writes as follows: "I think it was in June, 1870, that 'Jesus loves [even] me ' was written. Mr. and Mrs. Bliss were at the time visitors of my family ... One morning Mrs. Bliss came down to breakfast, and said, as she entered the room: 'Last evening Mr. Bliss had a tune given him that I think is going to live and be one of the most used that he has written. I have been singing it all the morning to myself, and cannot get it out of my mind.' She then sang over to us the notes of 'Jesus loves [even] me.' The idea of Mr. Bliss in writing it was that the peace and comfort of a Christian were not founded upon his loving Christ, but upon Christ's love to him, and that to occupy the mind with Christ's love would produce love and consecration in keeping with Romans 5:5: "... the love of God [to us] is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us." How much God has used this little song to lead sinners and fearful, timid Christians to 'look away to Jesus' eternity alone can tell." So this week rejoice, along with us, knowing that we are loved and oh what a wonder that really is. The hymn originally had six verses but only the three listed below are commonly sung today.

(1) I am so glad that our Father in Heav'n

Tells of His love in the Book He has giv'n;

Wonderful things in the Bible I see,

This is the dearest, that Jesus loves me.

I am so glad that Jesus loves me,

Jesus loves me, Jesus loves me.

I am so glad that Jesus loves me,

Jesus loves even me.

(2) Though I forget Him, and wander away,

Still He doth love me wherever I stray;

Back to His dear loving arms I do flee,

When I remember that Jesus loves me.