Every night, before my son goes to sleep, after praying with him, I would sing a song “Jesus Loves Me” to him. Joash, my son, loves this song very much. I used to remember the first stanza of this song but one day, he wanted me to sing the second and third stanzas of the song to him. Just like me, most of us are familiar with the first stanza. Many of us may not know the next two stanzas of this song. The lyrics of these two stanzas are wonderful. I would like to share them here with you:
Jesus loves me! He who died
Heaven’s gate to open wide
He will wash away my sin
Let His little child come in
Yes, Jesus loves me, yes, Jesus loves me
Yes, Jesus loves me! The Bible tells me so
Jesus loves me! He will stay
Close beside me all the way
He’s prepared a home for me
And some day His face I’ll see
This song reminds me of that day which I first received Jesus as my personal Lord and Saviour. It was the love of Jesus that drew me to Him. His love has greatly impacted my life! His love has transformed my life! I once was a hot-tempered person but now, I am no longer because Jesus’ love has changed me from inside out! Every time I ponder over His love, I am always very encouraged and uplifted.
During my childhood days, I felt the lack of love in my family. I could sense favoritism shown by my parents towards my older siblings. Besides searching for true love, I was also searching for the reality of life after death at a young age. When the gospel of Jesus was shared to me, I was touched by His love for me. When I read the Bible, I encounter more and more of His love. One of my favourite verses is John 3:16. It says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” In this verse, it shows me how much God loves me. God loves me by not sparing His beloved Son, Jesus. He loves me by sending His only Son, Jesus, to this earth to die willingly on the cross for me. Jesus not only died for me, He also died for you. That is what the song says: “Jesus loves me! He who died.” Jesus’ sacrificial death on the cross makes it possible for the gate of Heaven to be opened wide for me, and for you too! Jesus died to pay the penalty of my sins. The blood of Jesus shed on the cross washes away all my sins. In Romans 5:8, it says, “but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Jesus died for us, sinners. This is a demonstration of His great love for us. He died to give us eternal life, that is, life with Him forever. He died so that those who believe in Him shall have eternal life. To believe in Jesus is to accept the reality that Jesus died on the cross for your sins and on the third day, He rose from the dead and that His precious blood washes you from all your sins. The thought that God sent His beloved Son, Jesus, to die for me was overwhelming and beyond comprehension. It is the expression of God’s great love for me!
In Hebrews 13: 5b, it says, “for he has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’” When I received Jesus into my life, I became a child of God. He promises me that He will never leave me nor forsake me. This is another demonstration of His love for me. That is what the song says, “Jesus loves me! He will stay close beside me all the way.” Throughout my life, Jesus will stay close beside me. How wonderful this truth really is! In John 14: 2 – 3, it says, “In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.” Isn’t it wonderful to know that my Lord Jesus has prepared a home for me in Heaven? Indeed, some day, I will see His face, His wonderful face! I look forward to that day which I would meet Jesus face to face. Amen.
My dear friends, how wonderful to encounter the love of Jesus! My prayer for you is that you will desire to personally know this Jesus whom I have put my trust in. I hope that through reading this perspective, you too will begin by turning to the pages of the Bible and discover for yourself this wonderful Jesus who loves you too! I also hope that you will not let this good opportunity to discover the love of Jesus slipped by from your grasp.
