Jesus loves me, this I know…

We recently had the great privilege of being part of a recording for BBC Radio 4 Sunday Worship, broadcast on 17^th November 2024.

It was a service focussed on, and presented by, Autistic people, and James was supported to take part.

We talked about how, although James has almost no speech communication, we see God at work in him and through him in wonderful ways.

Ever since James was a tiny baby, I have sung over him that much loved old chorus ‘Jesus Loves Me This I Know’, and over the years James has been able to join in with some of it, through words and sounds.

The words to the song have been adapted by us as James has grown, for example we have replaced ‘little ones to him belong’ first with ‘teenagers to him belong’ and more recently with ‘twenty-somethings to him belong’.

As we have sung or spoken these words together for all of James’ 22 years, and have seen God at work in him as we have done so, this song has deep meaning for us.

 Here is our current adapted version:

Jesus loves me this I know,

For the Bible tells me so,

Twenty-somethings to him belong,

They are weak, but he is strong.



Yes! Jesus loves me!

Yes! Jesus loves me!

Yes! Jesus loves me!

The Bible tells me so.

Often, as we sing or say these words together, deep joy spreads across James’ face.

Perhaps it is the familiarity of the words that have journeyed through life with him; perhaps it is the precious time we are spending together; but I also believe that Jesus joins us in that space as we sing or say the words, and that his voice is added to ours.

He ministers to James as we sing, and I believe that James responds to him.

If, occasionally, I forget to sing the song as soon as James is in bed, he stops me and looks intently at me, wanting me to remember. We are soon back on track with “Jesus loves me this I know…”

When we were recording for BBC 4 Sunday Worship, it was in the middle of the day, so I wasn’t sure how James would respond. Would he be confused because this is what we sing when he is in bed, not on the sofa downstairs.

James did magnificently, his voice joining mine as we said the words together, James using some words and sounds to take part.

As we listened to the broadcast itself, James didn’t particularly respond to his voice on the radio, but as it cut to a beautiful sung version of the song James looked up, a joyful smile spread across his face. I smiled back, and a tear welled in my eye.

You see, I truly believe that Jesus does love James; the Bible tells me so but so does James’ face, his smile, the shine in his eyes as we sing and pray together. 

Many years ago, I remember talking to someone about my worries about James being unable to speak. She told me that James’ voice would be heard across the world.

I didn’t know what to make of it then, however today I have a glimpse of what God was saying through her. BBC Radio 4 Sunday Worship is heard by 2 million people; earlier this year James and I were on BBC TV Songs of Praise, watched by over 1 million people; and the blog I write (this being the latest article) is read across the world.

James is seen, heard, known, by millions, and James is seen, heard, known, and loved by God. Yes! Jesus loves him! Yes, Jesus loves him! Yes! Jesus loves him! The Bible tells me so.

Mark Arnold, Director of Additional Needs Ministry at Urban Saints. Arnold blogs at The Additional Needs Blogfather. This article was re-published with permission.