One of the best known church songs is “Jesus Loves Me, This I Know.” It is one of the first church songs many children learn. The other day my wife bought a home décor sign that said: “Jesus knows me, this I love.” I do not know who it was that first thought of this new take on an old song, but it states a profound truth. It is just as true as the way it was originally stated.

And that got me to thinking about how many stories of Jesus reveal that he knows us… and loves us anyway.

Jesus encountered a madman inhabited by a multitude of demons. It was so bad that he was called Legion. This man was angry, lonely, scarred, naked, and almost incoherent. But Jesus loved him enough that the first thing he said to him was a question about his identity. He asked him his name. Legion needed to know that Jesus knew him and loved him anyway. Jesus met a woman by a well and knew everything about her life. And her life had not turned out well for her. But he loved her enough to start a conversation with her about spiritual things. He saw a blind man for who he was — even when his followers saw the man as the basis for a religious debate. Real people that Jesus knew. And that Jesus loved.

Jesus knows us. He knows our fears, our hurts, our joys, and our deepest feelings. He knows the good… and he knows the bad. And he loves us anyway. He loves us enough to die for our bad choices, our bad actions, and our worst thoughts. I love that. I love him for that. He knows our hearts. We cannot hide anything from him. We can maybe hide things from each other. We can even manage to hide things from ourselves sometimes. But we cannot hide anything from Jesus.

He knows us. He loves us anyway. And I love that.

Jesus knows me. Jesus loves me. I love that.
Jesus loves me, this I know. Jesus knows me, this I love.

He knows you too. He loves you too. You should love that. If you do not, then let me hear from you. I can help. Write me at steve@hopeforlife.org. Or visit our website at www.hopeforlife.org.