He Is Strong: A 7-Day Journey to Finding Strength Amid Your WeaknessНамуна

JESUS SEES

Jesus loves me—loves me still,
Though I’m very weak and ill;
From his shining throne on high
Comes to watch me where I lie.

At this point in the song, all of our ultimate fears and concerns have been addressed—we’re loved and saved by Jesus. Eventually, all will be okay! We’ll be with Him forever! But what about life today? If the previous stanza had us dwelling on our certain future hope, this one rips us back to our present reality. Though a glorious eternity awaits, today we still struggle. We still need Jesus’s love in the midst of our grief, pain, and weary striving. The third stanza gives us a picture of a captive refusing to give up hope, though their captor tells them no one is coming to the rescue. Yes . . . yes, he is. Jesus loves me, loves me still!

Whether through physical weakness and illness or in the many other ways we experience weakness on this side of heaven, this stanza gives Philippians 2 imagery, reminding us that Jesus already left his throne on high to take on flesh and dwell among us, that He’s alive, and that He’s coming back again. Jesus has never been too lofty to see our pain and come to our side—He’s gentle and lowly of heart, moved to compassion. He is present and near to those who are weak.