Last Sunday at Springs of Grace we prayed for the families of victims from the shooting in Charleston. As part of our prayer time, we sang an old Black Spiritual, modernized by Fernando Ortego, called “Give Me Jesus”.

This song has incredible meaning for me now. Our church was first introduced to this song six or seven years ago. We had the privilege of befriending a lady and her children. The mother had been a victim of the sex trade and had been involved in the use and distribution of drugs. She was also suffering from health problems. On one occasion she was living in hiding in a former boyfriend’s garage in 100 plus degree temps. She would come inside during the day when the guy’s current girlfriend left. She taught some girls in our ministry who were trying to help her this song:

In the morning, when I rise
In the morning when I rise
In the morning when I rise
Give me Jesus.

The chorus is:
Give me Jesus
Give Me Jesus
You can have all this world but give me Jesus

The other verses were “Dark midnight was my cry…give me Jesus”…and “I heard the mourners say….give me Jesus” and “When I come to die…give me Jesus.” It is hard to study the life of Jesus in the gospels and not think that He hears cries like this.

Singing it again last Sunday after the prayers for Charleston and our brothers and sisters added another rich memory from this song.

I am really glad she taught our church how to sing it.