John 3:16 – For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. (RSV)

Last month, my friend, Anne, and I chose Jesus Loves Me as the topic for our children's sermon. It has been said that Jesus Loves Me is one of the best-loved Christian children's hymns around the world.

So many interesting stories surround the history of Jesus Loves Me. One such story is that the famous Swiss Reformed theologian, Karl Barth, was asked in 1962 if he could explain Christianity in a few words. He replied, "Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so."

However, the story behind this hymn is really a tale of two sisters. Anna and Susan Warner lived in New York in the 1800s. When their father, a well-known lawyer, lost most of his holdings in the depression of 1837, the family moved to what had been their summer home on Constitution Island in the Hudson River across from West Point, the US Military Academy. Their summer home became the family's permanent residence.

At that time, The Reverend Thomas Warner, Anna and Susan's uncle, was the chaplain at West Point. Both girls then began teaching Sunday school classes to the cadets, and they continued teaching for 50 years. Neither Anna nor Susan ever married.

In order to supplement their family's income, the sisters used their writing talents. Anna wrote poetry, and Susan wrote novels. While Susan was writing a novel entitled Say and Seal, she asked Anna to write a poem that the father in her story could read to his young son, who was terminally ill, to allay his fear of dying. The poem Anna wrote, Jesus Loves Me, contained three verses, just twelve lines. She based her poem on John 3:16.

During America's civil war, the poem, Jesus Loves Me, was prayed in homes, in churches, and on battlefields. In 1861, William Bradbury, a music publisher and choir director, added music to the poem. He also added a four-line chorus to be sung between the verses. Since that time, many have changed the verses or added new verses, but Anna's original version can be found on Wikipedia.

Missionaries of many denominations have used the simple but beautiful song to teach the gospel to new Christians all around the world. Another story tells that when Christians in China were being persecuted during the rise of communism in 1949, a group of Christians wanted to tell other Christians outside China's borders that they were all right. They were able to do so by writing a letter using the words, "The this I know people are well." The censors allowed the letters to go through because the communist officials thought the phrase nonsensical and meaningless.

The next time that you hear or sing Jesus Loves Me, just think of how this children's hymn has helped to teach the gospel of God's love. Do you consider yourself to be one of "the this I know people"?

Prayer: Father, we praise and thank You for the talents of poetry writing and music that You have given to people to spread in simple but beautiful ways the good news that, indeed, Your Son, Jesus Christ, loves us. Help each of us to use whatever talent that You have given to us to spread Your love. It is in Jesus' holy name that we pray. Amen.

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About the author:

Judith Welch <judithwelch12@gmail.com>
Lincoln, Nebraska, USA
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