The woman depicted in this “Rosie the Riveter” iconic wartime poster, Geraldine Hoff Doyle, died on December 26, 2010, in Michigan at the age of 86. Her obituary ran in newspapers across the U.S., catching my attention because of the familiarity of the poster in military memorabilia. Geraldine’s (Rosie is a fictitious name) bandana-wearing image was made famous by a United Press photographer at a Lansing, Michigan, factory where she worked for a brief time early in the war. Her picture was then used by an artist hired by the Westinghouse Company’s War Production Coordinating Committee in order to create posters for the war effort. She married Dr. Leo Doyle in 1943 and worked in his dental office, while raising their six children, until she was 75 years old. To me she represents many hard-working women who rallied behind their nation and their families to do what was needed during a difficult time in our history. Isn’t that what families do?
These Two Things I Know
Excellent or Praiseworthy is posted on Monday and Thursday nights.
“One thing God has spoken, two things have I heard: that You, O God, are strong, and that you, O Lord, are loving.” — Psalm 62:11-12a
I was with military wives, studying Beth Moore’s “Living Beyond Yourself”, when I heard Beth speak these words on the video, “These two things I know from Psalm 62—that God is strong, and that He is loving.” I immediately opened my Bible to read that psalm and get the context to that passage. . . because the simplicity, truth, and power of it cut right to my heart. Psalm 62 begins, “My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from Him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress, I will never be shaken.” (vs. 1-2). And in verses 5-8 I read, “Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from Him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress, I will not be shaken. My salvation and my honor depend on God; He is my mighty rock, my refuge. Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to Him, for God is our refuge.” Hallelujah!
During my quiet time the next day, I re-read Psalm 62 and “feasted” on the beautiful words of truth in verses 11 and 12: “One thing God has spoken, two things have I heard: that You, O God, are strong, and that You, O Lord, are loving.” As I pondered God’s demonstration of His love and His strength in my life, I was reminded of the song that I had just been singing the week before with my little granddaughter. You know it, and it goes like this:
“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.”
When we’re singing, my granddaughter and I even give extra volume and emphasis to “He is strong.” Isn’t that what Psalm 62 says? When I am weak (which is all the time), He is my rock, my fortress, my refuge. And He loves me—He gives me peace, salvation, hope, honor, security. I can trust Him. . . . .and He listens to me when I pour my heart out to Him in prayer or in song.
Wanting to take this even one step further, I decided to find out who wrote “Jesus Loves Me”—perhaps there was something more I could learn here. I found the lyricist was Anna B. Warner, and she lived in the state of New York from 1827-1915. Coming from a wealthy family, Anna and her sister began writing to earn money after their father lost his fortune in the depression of 1837. Anna penned the words to “Jesus Loves Me” as part of a novel that her sister, Susan, wrote in 1860 entitled Say and Seal.
But also fascinating is who wrote the melody to “Jesus Loves Me.” It was William B. Bradbury. At the end of a Billy Graham crusade, when the crowd sings, “Just As I Am”, they are singing another familiar tune by William B. Bradbury (words by Charlotte Elliott). And have you ever sung, “Sweet Hour of Prayer,” or “He Leadeth Me”, or “Savior, Like a Shepherd Lead Us”? These tunes were all written by William B. Bradbury. I do not know how Anna Warner and William Bradbury worked together to give us “Jesus Loves Me”, but it truly was Spirit-led. For decades, all over the world, the power of truth in “Jesus Loves Me” comes through in that simple tune. Hearts are touched, lives are changed—for eternity.
But the scope of my research into what began with the words “These two things I know. .” was not over. As I was reading further about Anna Warner, I discovered that she and her sister led Bible studies with cadets at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in the mid-1800s. And she and Susan are the only two civilians buried in the cemetery at West Point. So the writer of “Jesus Loves Me” taught Bible studies with military cadets—that touched my heart! Anna B. Warner, with her sister, was ministering to our military in a profound way perhaps as they were preparing to fight in the Civil War! No doubt she taught them the two things that she knew from Psalm 62—that God is strong, and that He is loving. The Bible tells me so!
Questions to share:
1. Share with your spouse what songs you remember from your childhood. Can you share when you first heard “Jesus Loves Me”?
2. Can you share how God has been your strength during this deployment? How has He demonstrated that He loves you during this time of separation?
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