Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Honoring the elders among us

I received this in an email from my friend, Pat, and just had to share it with you. I think this story and song might be wonderful to use on Mother's or Father's Day.

While watching a little TV on Sunday instead of going to church, I watched a Church in Atlanta honoring one of its senior pastors who had been retired many years. He was 92 at that time and I wondered why the Church even bothered to ask the old gentleman to preach at that age. After a warm welcome, introduction of this speaker, and as the applause quieted down he rose from his high back chair and walked slowly, with great effort and a sliding gate to the podium. Without a note or written paper of any kind he placed both hands on the pulpit to steady himself and then quietly and slowly he began to speak....

"When I was asked to come here today and talk to you, your pastor asked me to tell you what was the greatest lesson ever learned in my 50 odd years of preaching. I thought about it for a few days and boiled it down to just one thing that made the most difference in my life and sustained me through all my trials. The one thing that I could always rely on when tears and heartbreak and pain and fear and sorrow paralyzed me... the only thing that would comfort was this verse.........
"Jesus loves me this I know.
For the Bible tells me so.
Little ones to Him belong,
we are weak but He is strong.....
Yes, Jesus loves me...
The Bible tells me so."

When he finished, the church was quiet. You actually could hear his foot steps as he shuffled back to his chair. I don't believe I will ever forget it. A pastor once stated, "I always noticed that it was the adults who chose the children's hymn 'Jesus Loves Me' (for the children of course) during a hymn sing, and it was the adults who sang the loudest because I could see they knew it the best." "Senior version of Jesus Loves Me" Here is a new version just for us who have white hair or no hair at all. For us over middle age (or even those almost there) and all you others check out this newest version of Jesus Loves Me.

JESUS LOVES ME
Jesus loves me, this I know,
Though my hair is white as snow
Though my sight is growing dim,
Still He bids me trust in Him.
(CHORUS)
YES, JESUS LOVES ME.. YES, JESUS LOVES ME..
YES, JESUS LOVES ME FOR THE BIBLE TELLS ME SO.
Though my steps are oh, so slow,
With my hand in His I'll go
On through life, let come what may,
He'll be there to lead the way.
(CHORUS)
When the nights are dark and long,
In my heart He puts a song.
Telling me in words so clear,
"Have no fear, for I am near."
(CHORUS)
When my work on earth is done,
And life's victories have been won.
He will take me home above,
Then I'll understand His love
(CHORUS)
I love Jesus, does He know?
Have I ever told Him so?
Jesus loves to hear me say,
That I love Him every day.
(CHORUS)

4 comments:

J.D. Scorpio said...

Hey Jewel & Ed:
Thank you for your comment on the, L.H.O.M . Yes I well remember those briars and underbrush; I started clearing it out by hand but soon decided that wouldn’t do… And yes, it was worth every bit of it. We didn’t know it until the dozer started clearing that there was stumps everywhere, but the operator knew what he was doing. We were on the back screened porch and couldn’t see the dozer which was about 60 feet away!
Maybe when Mother Nature gets all the leaves back on the trees and the grass is looking good, you might post some pictures of your home place, I would love to see it. Anyway, thanks again for dropping by, you’re always welcome………. JD

Anonymous said...

I got that in an e-mail a while ago, too, and I had never heard that version of Jesus Loves Me before, but I love it!!

Jewel said...

Hi JD...yes we had a bulldozer guy come in and clear the other half of our property,too. We just couldn't do it all by hand. But what we did was close to the house and low to the ground, so we did it. I have some pictures on old posts here already. I am not sure how you would get to them, though.

Hi Barbara.....thanks for stopping by. I hope you are doing well!

Rochelle said...

I have never heard this.... too cute!