Jesus Loves Me

Rocking my grandson Colton to sleep is simply divine. He is 18 months old now, and I know he will grow out of needing me to sing him as he drifts off. The new favorite song (for the moment) is Jesus Loves Me. Such a simple children's song, but so powerful. After googling the words, I discovered there are a few more verses I didn't know existed:

Jesus loves me! This I know,

For the Bible tells me so;

Little ones to Him belong;

They are weak, but He is strong.

Refrain:

Yes, Jesus loves me!

Yes, Jesus loves me!

Yes, Jesus loves me!

The Bible tells me so.

Jesus loves me! This I know,

As He loved so long ago,

Taking children on His knee,

Saying, “Let them come to Me.”

Jesus loves me still today,

Walking with me on my way,

Wanting as a friend to give

Light and love to all who live.

Jesus loves me! He who died

Heaven’s gate to open wide;

He will wash away my sin,

Let His little child come in.

Jesus loves me! He will stay

Close beside me all the way;

Thou hast bled and died for me,

I will henceforth live for Thee.

Beautiful, right? A message for all His children on earth!

In todays Gospel (Mark 8:1-10), Jesus demonstrates His Love for all:

In those days when there again was a great crowd without anything to eat, Jesus summoned the disciples and said, “My heart is moved with pity for the crowd, because they have been with me now for three days and have nothing to eat. If I send them away hungry to their homes, they will collapse on the way, and some of them have come a great distance.”
His disciples answered him, “Where can anyone get enough bread to satisfy them here in this deserted place?” Still he asked them, “How many loaves do you have?” They replied, “Seven.” He ordered the crowd to sit down on the ground. Then, taking the seven loaves he gave thanks, broke them, and gave them to his disciples to distribute, and they distributed them to the crowd. They also had a few fish. He said the blessing over them and ordered them distributed also. They ate and were satisfied. They picked up the fragments left over–seven baskets. There were about four thousand people.

He dismissed the crowd and got into the boat with his disciples and came to the region of Dalmanutha.

In Anne a lay apostle's book Whispers From the Cross, we see Jesus' love for us hasn't changed . . . and never will:

"I am grateful to all who give their life to Me. My gratitude will accompany those who served me throughout their eternity. But I beg each of you to hear Me. Do you recognize the promptings of the Spirit? I will tell you how you will know. Is your heart often moved to pity? Do you find that there are times when you feel impatience and instead offer gentleness? Are you one who conducts others to peace or do you gather round and contribute condemnation when it is being levied against another? Do you talk about Me or about My enemy? Do you look out at a world in pain and see goodness or do you see darkness everywhere? Please, stop your service long enough each day to listen for My whispers from the cross. I am begging you to love each other. Very often I am rejected but I never stop loving. You must be like Me. Love, regardless of how you are repaid. I cannot force anyone to love Me, dear apostles. But I can love them. I want you to do the same. Love God’s children in My name and you will be rewarded. Love for Me." 

Lay apostles, how do you view the world? I have to admit, it's hard not to see the darkness in a world trying to separate from God. But, then I think about all the lay apostles in this world and the light each of us has the opportunity to shine every day. How are you going to be the light today? 

Thank you, Lord, for the Gospels detailing Your Love for us and the messages You have shared through Anne. I know I am loved.

God bless,
Bonnie