Not Just for Children

People come to me with questions.

Frankly, I enjoy questions because they force me to dig deeper.

Someone who knew English is not my first language asked me about a hymn.

They asked me if I knew the lyrics to that hymn in my first language.

I said I did and they asked me to recite it back to them in that language.

The hymn in question was Jesus Loves Me.

This is a song many children learn.

Strangely enough, we tend not to sing it when we become adults.

Anna Bartlett Warner wrote the words.

William B. Bradbury composed the tune.

Jesus loves me, this I know,

for the Bible tells me so.

Little ones to him belong;

they are weak, but he is strong.

The version I was taught as a child goes like this:

Má Pán Ježíš, má mě rád,

Čisto Písmo nastokrát!

Všecky děti, jak jen jsou,

srdci jeho zálibou.

This is an adequate translation, albeit inexact.

So, I translated the second version back into English literally.

The result was both pleasantly surprising and reassuring.

My Lord Jesus, He has love for me,

Pure Scripture (tells me) a hundred times over!

All children, whatever they are,

(they are) a passion close to His heart.

Although not quite, the original, I love the retranslation.

Our Lord Jesus has love for us.

Pure Scripture reminds us of this repeatedly.

All children, even those my age, are a passion close to His heart.

This is why I love questions and enjoy digging deeper.

In doing so, a simple melody intended for children is transformed.

It becomes a poetic message about Christ’s active love for us all.

 

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com on Friday, July 10, 2026.

I will be back here on Friday, July 17, 2026

The First 900 Steps

I recently came across a quote by the late Aldous Huxley.

“If most of us remain ignorant of ourselves, it is because self-knowledge is painful and we prefer the pleasures of illusion.”

As a man of faith, I will not say that coming across this quote was coincidental.

You see, this is my 900^th offering since I responded to God’s leading in January 2010.

This was an opportunity to share my faith.

As importantly, God intended this as a means of self-reflection.

Huxley was correct in his assertion about the dangers of illusion.

Scripture also has a great deal to say about the importance of self-discovery.

Throughout this journey, I reminded myself that I am doing this as I believe God desires this of me.

Jeremiah 17:9 (NRSVue) - The heart is devious above all else; it is perverse—who can understand it? I the Lord test the mind and search the heart, to give to all according to their ways, according to the fruit of their doings.

I also had to remind myself that God is using this to change me from the inside.

Romans 12:2 (NRSVue) - Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of the mind, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Before I write, I must remind myself that I am a sinner and that I need Christ.

I am not better than any other in the same need.

Matthew 7:3-5 (NRSVue) - Why do you see the speck in your neighbor’s eye but do not notice the log in your own eye? Or how can you say to your neighbor, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ while the log is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your neighbor’s eye.

In retrospect, I am not the same man I was when I started this journey 16 years ago.

Although I have made progress, I am still very much a work in progress.

Philippians 3:12 (NRSVue) - Not that I have already obtained this or have already reached the goal, but I press on to lay hold of that for which Christ has laid hold of me.

I am also in a different place than I was when I began this journey.

I am frequently asked about my current profession.

I am also asked about my current ministries.

I can state that I am where God currently wants me to be.

I am also doing what He wants me to do.

I am also aware that he is using my current circumstances to prepare me for what lies ahead,

Romans 8:28 (NRSVue) - We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.

If you have taken the time to read this far, I thank you.

Thank you for accompanying me on this journey.

Just remember that you have your own journey and that the Lord wants to be part of it.

 

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com on Friday, June 26, 2026.

I will be back here on Friday, July 3, 2026

New Year; New You

Psalm 48 is a song about the strength of Zion.

But the Psalmist ends the song with a reminder of the source of strength.

Psalm 48:14 (NRSVue) - that this is God, our God forever and ever. He will be our guide forever.

John 14 is a beautiful chapter,

In its opening verses, Christ reminds his followers of several inescapable facts,

He reminds them that He is going to prepare a place for them.

He also reminds them that they know the way.

Only Thomas asks the question that the others were asking themselves.

“Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?”

John 14:6 (NRSVue) - Jesus said to him, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

As we enter a new year, it is good to bear these facts in mind.

Change is inevitable.

But as a rule, we resist change.

But change is necessary if we are to grow spiritually.

The man I am today is different from the boy I once was.

Nor am I the man I was decades ago.

In years to come, I will not be the same man I am today.

Yet throughout the years of change and personal growth, God remained constant.

As we leave behind another year and embark on another trip around the sun, we leave things behind.

Perhaps the past year was one of joy.

Perhaps it was one of sorrow.

More likely, it was a year that combined both.

As we embark on the new year, we know that change lies ahead.

May we see the challenges we encounter as opportunities for spiritual growth.

May we remember that God never changes.

May we remember that Jesus is the way, the truth and the life.

May we remember that He is the way to the Father.

And may we not be the same people we were when the new year comes to its end.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com on Friday, January 10, 2025.

I will be back here on Friday, January 17, 2025