Jesus Loves Me, This I Know by Gail Purath

In the 1800’s Anna Warner wrote a poem that her sister Susan included in one of her popular Christian novels. William Bradbury discovered the poem, added a refrain, and put it to music. The first two lines of the poem are perhaps the most well known of any Christian hymn:

Jesus loves me! This I know,

For the Bible tells me so.

When Karl Barth, a well-known twentieth century theologian, was asked to summarize the most profound truths from the thousands of pages of Christian theology books he had written, he said,

“Jesus loves me! this I know,

For the Bible tells me so.”

Ever since the beginning of time, even before the name of Jesus was revealed, God has been offering His love to mankind.


God doesn’t love us because we are worthy of His love.
God loves us even though we are not worthy.
That’s Grace.
Undeserved love.
Unmerited favor.


For several years, I gave a seminar in Budapest, Hungary called “The Bible’s Love Story.” It's purpose was to show that throughout man's miserable, rebellious history, God has always been there offering His love and grace, giving man a second chance, a third chance, a fourth chance, a hundredth chance…


After one of my seminars, one Hungarian woman sweetly and softly asked me, “Why does He love us?” It was more than she could understand.


Another Hungarian woman said, “I don’t need to struggle for His love. I don't need to struggle for His love.” And then she began weeping--it was more than she could bear.


These women’s responses made me realize how often I take Christ’s love for granted. May I never forget this profound, magnificent, wonderful truth:

Jesus loves me, this I know,

for the Bible tells me so!

Gail writes a one-minute devotion each weekday at Bible Love Notes.



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