I recently went through unexpected major open heart surgery with five by-passes. It was a long ten day hospital stay with many periods of boredom in bed with nothing to do. I did have plenty of time to pray and I felt as though the Lord was right there with me. But one of the greatest blessings were the many hymns that came to my mind during those long hours. Some of them were familiar ones, but a few were ones that I hadn't thought about in years. One of those that filled my mind was "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." I wasn't happy with being in the hospital but I was encouraged by the truth of this chorus, Jesus loves me!. I might have been filled at times with fear and discouragement but I knew that Jesus really loved and cared for me. The song, which was really for children, was written in 1870 by Philip Bliss. One morning Mrs. Bliss came down to breakfast and shared the following with others who were there: "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 the notes of "Jesus Loves [even] Me." Mr. Bliss later said that this song was suggested to him by hearing the chorus of the hymn "Oh, how I love Jesus," repeated very frequently in a meeting which he attended. After joining in the chorus a number of times the thought came to him, "Have I not been singing enough about my poor love for Jesus, and shall I not rather sing of his great love for me?" The idea of Bliss in writing it was that the peace and comfort of a Christian were not founded by 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. The hymn became one of the all-time favorite children's hymns, gaining popularity in both Great Britain and the United States. Now while it was the chorus that spoke to me while in the hospital, the simple verses are also powerful. We have His Word, the Bible, given to us by the Father and it tells us of His love. He is there to welcome us whenever we happen to stray. And then there is the beauty of knowing that we will be with Him one day in eternity. "Oh what a wonder that Jesus loves me!"
(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.
Iam 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 whenever I stray;
Back to His dear loving arms would I flee,
When I remember 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.
(3) Oh, if there's only one song I can sing,
When in His beauty I see the great King,
This shall my song in eternity be:
"Oh, what a wonder 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.
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