SONGS OF MY HEART - JESUS WANTS ME FOR A SUNBEAM

JESUS WANTS ME FOR A SUNBEAM
To shine for Him each day
In every way try to please Him,
At home, at work, at play.

A sunbeam, a sunbeam,
Jesus wants me for a sunbeam,
A sunbeam, a sunbeam,
I'll be a sunbeam for Him.

Jesus wants me to be loving,
And kind to all I see;
Showing how pleasant and happy
His little one can be.

A sunbeam, a sunbeam,
Jesus wants me for a sunbeam;
A sunbeam, a sunbeam,
I'll be a sunbeam for Him.

I will ask Jesus to help me,
To keep my heart from sin;
Ever reflecting His goodness,
And always shine for Him.

A sunbeam, a sunbeam,
Jesus wants me for a sunbeam;
A sunbeam, a sunbeam,
I'll be a sunbeam for Him.

I'll be a sunbeam for Jesus;
I can if I but try;
Serving Him moment by moment,
Then live with Him on high.

A sunbeam, a sunbeam,
Jesus wants me for a sunbeam;
A sunbeam, a sunbeam,
I'll be a sunbeam for Him.


Words: Nellie Talbot. Rack­ing her brain for ma­ter­i­al for her Sun­day school class in rur­al Mis­sou­ri, she thought to her­self, “How can you say there’s no­thing to teach about when you have the sun and the sky and the trees and the flow­ers!” Hence the theme of this song.

Music: Ed­win O. Ex­cell, 1900. He ded­i­cat­ed this song to his grand­son, Ed­win O. Excell, Jr.


This is another children's song that says a lot.

As Nelli realized as long as we can see or feel the beauty of God's creation all around us, there is something to praise Him for. My grandma taught me this song when I was a child in the Sunbeam Band at New Hope Baptist Church, in Chanute, Kansas. I was about eight years old. Every Saturday we met for about 1 1/2 hours. We learned short scriptures, and told each other what that scripture meant for us, we sang songs like this one, did crafts, learned to stitch by making blankets for our dolls, or learned how to make aprons as gifts for our moms. At the end we always knew we would be treated to too sweet kool Aid and cookies. We closed by each of us saying a sentence prayer, then the Lord's Prayer together, and sang Jesus Wants Me For A Sunbeam. It was a time all of us kids looked forward to.

I recently (yesterday) learned that a very dear friend of mine also learned this song as a child, and taught it to her kids. My friend is 90 years young, and in the last stages of transitioning from this life to eternal life with Jesus she loves. At her bedside her daughter and I were talking about songs she loved, and she told me about this one. We sang it softly together, both of us very surprised that the other knew it. Her daughter shared that her mom told her she was about five or six when she learn this song. As she listened to the words that Jesus wanted her for a sumbeam, she had better learn to be a sunbeam.

I'm happy to say she is a GREAT success at being a sunbeam for Jesus. This is a woman that shines for Him, is loving and kind, reflects and shares His goodness with others, and holds Him preciously in her heart. And I believe in every way she has pleased Him. Her legacy lives on through her sons and daughters, grands and all who have come to know her, and able to gleen from her wisdom. The Bible says, "Who can find a virtuous woman, for her price is far above rubies. "My dear friend is this woman, and she will shine as a sunbeam for Jesus through eternity.