He Loves me so...

Jesus Loves Me sung by Marshall Hall, Gaiter Vocal Band

Every child that has gone through Sunday School knows this old hymn.

Jesus loves me! this I know,
For the Bible tells me so.
Little ones 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.

I served in my church for 2 years in the ministry to children. Then I got married, and when I had Natasha, I return to serve the ministry. But Sis Cindy suggested that I join the Ministry to the new-borns..the mini creche in our church is lacking good teachers. And since I became a mother, she figures that I would know instinctively what a baby wants and how to soothe him/her.

I got back to read all my old notes from my night classes at the Singapore Bible College. Where I took the course on Ministry to Children. Our lecturer told us back then, the way to reach out to a new born is just a heart beat away...no loud noises, no loud or jumpy excited worship and praise songs. Just hum...

I remember some years back in mini creche, a lady came with her little baby girl. And we often had to sign in new baby with proper documentation. The mother left her in the crib in the mini-creche, and a bag of things for the baby. Milk powder, diapers, a blanket and some toys. She said she has to go pee..and will be back to fill up the papers. I was busy at the moment, and another fellow sister didn't think it was important and let her go.

This little baby started crying. All the helpers tried to soothe her. But she wouldn't stop crying. I carried her in my arms, closed the door behind me..(we had a nursing room in the mini-creche for mothers to nurse). At one corner of the room, sat a mother with her baby, nursing. I didn't want to disturb her..so I held this little one closed to my chest..so she could hear my heart beat. And then I hum to her...the tune from "Jesus Loves Me"

Slowly, but surely, the baby stopped crying. Though tears still welled up in her eyes, she was calm. I wiped her eyes with a soft tissue and continue to hum to her. And at the same time, I sat in the nursing room, next to the window..and looked at her.

As if she was my very own, I prayed for her. And she fell asleep in my arms. As I lay her down to the crib, I continue to hum that favourite old tune.

I left the room. She slept for a good hour or until the adult service ended. Her mom came by and looked for her baby. But because I wasn't the one who saw her mom, I didn't know who she was. The mother started to panicked when she couldn't find her baby. We had hanging cradle, cribs and beds for all the babies that comes to the mini-creche. She was almost driven to tears and she couldn't find her baby.

Since I was in charge of the mini creche that Sunday, I brought her to the nursing room and ask if that baby girl is hers. The mother saw her baby sleeping peacefully, her blanket covered over her up to her belly, she looked comforted and peaceful. She said :

"she could never sleep on a bed (crib). She needs the cradle( a hanging cloth kind). And further more, she needs to drink before sleeping. She is such a fussy baby. How did you manage to put her on the bed? She never sleeps more than 15 minutes."

And then I told the mother :

"Maybe you didn't see or sense this place. God is here.. Jesus is here. Angels are here, helping us to watch over them. And if you believe in Christ Jesus, you believe that she is safe in His arms and He is cuddling her, rocking her from side to side and singing to her, singing to her soul. All she needs is a daily dosage of God's love."

okay...maybe a bit too superficial here..but as a believer for years, I believe God did that for my own daughters. When I had to cook and be working in the kitchen, I can't tend to baby Natasha all the time. So I prayed and ask God to watch over her while clean the house or prepare food. And because of my faith in Him, Natasha never had any accidents at home..no matter how small it was.

I had knives, scissors, medicine lying around everywhere which is a no-no when you have little crawling toddlers around. It never cross my mind I had to re-furnish or hide things away when Natasha came into our lives.

God was never a visitor or a guest in our house. He was a family member who dwells in our house, in our lives and in every thing we do.

I remembered when Melody was born, barely 3 months old, Benny was hospitalised for Haemorrhage Dengue Fever and Natasha too was hospitalised for Dengue Fever. I didn't catch it because the virus was still residing in me..I had Dengue Fever years before. The day meant I was to rush from one hospital to another. Benny was housed at Changi Hospital and Natasha was at Mt Alvernia Hospital. By the end of the day, I was dead tired and I had to rush home, bathe and washed up and change new clothes before I could nurse Melody.

I remembered it so clearly. And later on, this became a testimony of how God watches us DAILY and all the time.

I was alone in our bedroom. The aircon was turn on, the lights in the room was dimmed. We had a small table lamp at the side of our bed. I carried Melody in my arms, sat on the bed. She was crying..she was hungry. But I was so so dead tired. All I could remember was I sat there with her in my arms and I prayed..

I cried out to God and said I just can't go on anymore. All I want was Benny to recover from dengue because he was at the brink of death. His blood count was low, the blood transfusion didn't seem to work. The doctors told me if he didn't live through that night, I must be prepared for the worst. Natasha was very ill.

I told God I don't know what to do anymore. I just don't. And I felt asleep while praying...I have never been so dead tired in my life before.

I don't know how long I was asleep..but I suddenly woke up in the middle of night..the room still dimmed..and there was this soothing sound I heard. Like in distance, an old hymn I used to hum in church to the little ones I used to care for.

And I realised that my arms were resting on the side of my body...and baby Melody slept on my chest..she didn't fell off my body..and for that split moment, I thought I saw God and He gives me that reassuring sense of well-being that He came and carried baby Melody in His arms while He rested my body and my soul.

I woke up fully..in awe and immediately, I prayed and said Thank You Lord. As always, for being there for me.

I put Melody down to her crib...as I got up, the phone rang. The hospital rang..the nurse on duty that night told me this :

"Mrs Lim, Mr Lim is okay now. some how by some miracle, the blood count went back to normal.We will monitor for a few more hours. If its okay by 10 am tomorrow, he can be discharge the next day"

AMEN! And before I could ring my parents to tell them the good news, Natasha recovered miraculously overnight. In a day, I had to discharge 2 persons closest to my heart. Sis Cindy was there at Mt Alvernia Hospital to help me while I sign the papers for her to be discharged. She took her home for me while I dash off to the other hospital to bring Benny home.

All in a day's work. For us, we think we accomplish so much. But to God, greater good He has done, my faith leapt 100 fold. Restored, renewed and never look back. I will never think about ending or think the world would just end like that anymore.

Miracles do happen and they happen because Jesus Loves You..

AMEN!