Many people, including myself, understand that God’s love is transformative, but few truly grasp the extent of its power. This short devotional explores that depth through a practical example shared by Pastor Joseph Prince.
The LORD has appeared of old to me, saying: “Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you.”
Jeremiah 31:3
I heard a story of a minister from Oregon who was assigned to provide counseling in a state mental institution. His first assignment was to a padded cell that housed deranged, barely clothed patients. He couldn’t even talk to the inmates, let alone counsel them—the only responses he got were groans, moans, and demonic laughter.
Then the Holy Spirit prompted him to sit in the middle of the room. And for a full hour just sing the famous children’s hymn that goes, “Jesus loves me! This I know, for the Bible tells me so. Little ones to Him belong; they are weak, but He is strong.”
Nothing happened at the end of that first day. But for weeks he persisted to sing the same melody with greater conviction each time: “Yes, Jesus loves me! Yes, Jesus loves me! Yes, Jesus loves me! The Bible tells me so.”
What was transformative about God’s love?
As the days passed, the patients began singing with him one by one. Amazingly, by the end of the first month, thirty-six of the severely ill patients were transferred from the high-dependency ward to a self-care ward. Within a year, all but two were discharged from the mental institution.
As one of the best-known and loved hymns of all time, this hymn’s ongoing popularity lies in its succinct elegance in unveiling Jesus’ heart. It beckons one to recognize that no matter what challenges, failures, and misdeeds one might be dealing with, the love of Jesus remains a constant.
“Jesus loves me! This I know.”
How so?
“For the Bible tells me so.”
So simple, yet so powerful.
Whether you feel it or not, Jesus’ constant love for you rests in the truth and on the foundation of His unchanging Word. It proclaims that His love for you and me is based utterly and completely on Him—on His promises, His work, and His grace.
Today, let healing and rest for your soul come as you allow your heart to be anchored on this truth.
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