This was the first theological truth I ever learned. I can still picture myself in my little preschool room at church sitting on little wooden chairs in a half circle with about four or five older adults towering over me. I felt so little sitting there, but with my whole class and the loud voices of the senior citizens I learned to sing this most important song: Jesus loves me; this I know, for the Bible tells me so. Little ones (that was me) to Him belong. We are weak, but He is strong. Yes, Jesus loves me. Yes, Jesus loves me. Yes, Jesus loves me; the Bible tells me so. Even though I learned it so long ago, I am still learning it today.

Why is it so easy to forget that Jesus loves me? I forget every time I start looking to this world to give me the love I need. I forget when I think about all the people who are suffering and the pain that exists in the world. I forget when I don’t get what I wanted most from God that minute. I can even forget when I do a stupid thing like stub my toe! How can I have learned this lesson and not really have learned it?

God knows how forgetful I am, so He teaches me in many ways. Before I got out of bed this very morning, I spent some time in prayer just being in God’s presence. I sensed Him assuring me that He loves me. He made it clear that this love was not based at all on what I do. Although He does delight in me; that was not the idea of love He most wanted me to grasp this morning. He was quite clear that what He wanted me to know most was simply that Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so. That was it.

Then, I got the call. My dear friend’s husband was in heaven. And this is love. Not that we will always understand God’s love; He doesn’t expect that of us. He does invite us to receive His love. We need to hold fast to that love. The darkest days of our lives are the days that we need to cling to His love the most. If you grew up in church singing Jesus Loves Me, you have probably never needed to sing it more than on the day of your divorce, the moment you’re told that you have miscarried, the instant you get the news that one of your parents have died. Those are the moments that knowing Jesus loves you because the Bible tells you so, is the only way you can sing. Your life circumstances don’t tell you so; your Bible tells you. You are left to trust that He says He loves you.

The profound theological truth Jesus loves me; this I know, for the Bible tells me so, is not only the first theological truth I ever learned, it is the most important theological truth I’ve ever learned. My friend’s theme verses through this horrific ordeal she suffers are from Habakkuk 3:17-19: Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior. The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to go on the heights. When you think about it that song has the same message as Jesus loves me; this I know, for the Bible tells me so. I think I will sing it over and over today.