Jesus Loves Me, this I know

It's interesting that as the music world mourns the loss of Whitney Houston, this is the song that comes to my mind. (I Will Always Love You is a close second though.)

In the movie Bodyguard, Whitney sings "Jesus Loves Me" and it is a beautiful rendition. She truly was blessed with an amazing voice. I also find it interesting that her last public performance was of this song. (According to tabloids she sang this song in a duet while acting oddly hours before her death.)

I don't know Whitney Houston. I know a lot about her, though most of it should be viewed carefully through the lens of public opinion (not always the most accurate portrayal of truth). But I am guessing at some point in her life someone taught her about Jesus. Based on what I know of her very public life and the battles she faced personally, I would guess that on some level she clung to the belief that she was loved by Jesus. It would appear that this belief came through even in her darkest moments as she chose this to be the song she sang.

Now I am not sure the state of Whitney's heart at the time of her death. I don't know if she put her faith and trust in Jesus, not just in the belief that He loves her. I am not trying to judge or justify her at all, but it has gotten me thinking...

We all know celebrities and athletes will acknowledge God. For some this is a genuine reflection of their faith while for others it is just words. Even though we live in a very secular world the truth is that many people can sing the words to "Jesus Loves Me" but very few live a life that reflects that truth.

Jesus does indeed love me and you, but do you believe it? Do you live like you believe it? Do I? My prayer is that I never just give lip-service to the fact that Jesus loves me, but that I live a life that reflects that truth. I think the key to this song is that "the Bible tells me so". To truly live a life that reflects Jesus' love I must be reading the Bible, learning to be an imitator of God.

I can't say if Whitney Houston was just singing the words or if she really truly believed them, but my hope is that as people are drawn back to her music and movies, someone, somewhere is reminded of the truth that Jesus loves them.