scripture and prayer reflection
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Lyrics
I need Thee every hour
Most gracious Lord
No tender voice like Thine
Can peace afford
I need Thee every hour
Stay Thou nearby
Temptations lose their power
When Thou art nigh
I need Thee, oh, I need Thee
Every hour I need Thee
I need Thee, oh, I need Thee
Every hour I need Thee
Oh, bless me now my Savior
I come to Thee, I need Thee
I need Thee every hour
In joy or pain
Come quickly and abide
Or life is vain
I need Thee every hour
Teach me Thy will
And Thy rich promises
In me fulfill
I need Thee, oh, I need Thee
Every hour I need Thee
I need Thee, oh, I need Thee
Every hour I need Thee
Oh, bless me now my Savior
I come to Thee, I need Thee
Psalm 40:11-13, 17
11 Do not withhold your mercy from me, Lord;
may your love and faithfulness always protect me.
12 For troubles without number surround me;
my sins have overtaken me, and I cannot see.
They are more than the hairs of my head,
and my heart fails within me.
13 Be pleased to save me, Lord;
come quickly, Lord, to help me.
17 But as for me, I am poor and needy;
may the Lord think of me.
You are my help and my deliverer;
you are my God, do not delay.
Hebrews 4:14-16
14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. 16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
Reflection
When things are difficult in life, we are confronted by our own inability to make things work, and by our need for God in unmistakeable ways. A gift in the pain is our heightened awareness of the reality that we are completely dependent upon Him to sustain us. But when things are going well in life, it is easy to begin coasting through, doing the next thing, then the next and the next, without ever pausing to notice that even then, we are still desperately in need of God, of His presence and grace in our lives. Without difficulty pressing on us, it’s easy to lose track of our dependence on Him, and to live life without giving Him much thought until we want or need something from Him.
This classic hymn contains a very simple message of dependence, written from an intimate, personal perspective. Though the words of this hymn have touched the hearts of many experiencing difficult circumstances throughout its history, it was originally written in the mundane, everyday normalcy of life. Annie Hawks, a poet and the author of these lyrics, was in the middle of her normal housework when a sudden sense of God’s nearness inspired her to pen these words.
The reality is that we always need God — whether things are going well or are going terribly, or are just normal, somewhere in between. Our relationship with Him is not meant to be seasonal, founded only in times when I want something from Him, but an ongoing, active, two-sided love. God wants us to attentively be cultivating active awareness of Him and engaging with Him in all of these seasons.
Take some time to reflect on your own life. When has it been easiest to recognize your need for God? What makes it hard to remember or acknowledge your need for Him in good or average times? What would it look like to sit with your ongoing need for Him? Talk with God about what comes up.