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 Every Hour
By: Annie S. Hawks, 1836-1911 (1872)
Listen to this beautiful piano version as you read, or watch the video then read. Please make certain to enjoy the video log below.
In this final installment we look at the refrain that would be repeated throughout the hymn. It reinforces the overarching theme of our need of God, and makes plain the supply, Jesus Christ.
Are You Awake?
Our lives are made up of many needs. Need for shelter, companionship, food, safety, to name a few. We strive to meet these basic needs and their provision leads us to a different level in the hierarchy of needs. Abundance, status, privilege, comfort, they become “needs” as the lower ones are met. These are all very genuine needs, but there is ultimately and even greater need which each of these point to heart and mind of everyone willing to be honest enough to admit it.
We need God.
God provides the context for understanding all that is right and wrong in the world. God gives us hope in the midst of difficulty and strength when ours is gone. God rises above all these lessor needs and provides for us in His presence a rest that informs how we live today, and a perspective that there is coming a better tomorrow.
But we must be awake to receive it.
But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.” Luke 21:36 ESV
In this passage Jesus is particularly instructing us to watch for His return, but there is a larger application. In order to be ready for that Day, we must be careful how we live each day. It is easy to become complacent, slowly being lulled to sleep by the passing of time.
We must stay awake.
Only then will be have the strength to endure whatever comes, and be able to stand on that Day.
Are you awake? Are you watchful every day of how you are living? Pray God keeps your eyes open and strengthens you to live for Him, with a constant awareness of your need of Him. Ask Him to reveal if there are even areas of your life where you are not watchful. Confess them and ask Him to help you stay awake.
The Hour
This age as we wait on the return of Christ is made up of years. Those years are made up of days. And those days, hours.
If we live every second ready for His return, then we will be ready every minute. If we are ready every minute, we will be ready every hour. Even though we do not know the hour, we will be ready.
Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. Matthew 24:44 ESV
So we are called to live in readiness and expectancy, but even still the hour of His return will be a surprise even to those watching for it.
The only way we can even approach this lofty ideal of living expectantly is to hourly confess how much we need Him. That confession becomes the flame of a holy passion that consumes the dross of our selfish, ordinary lives and calls us to something far more beautiful, far more glorious. It burns away the chaff and leaves the fully formed seed of righteousness.
Will you ignite that flame? Will you welcome the Spirit to turn up the heat in your daily living until it becomes a spark to the kindling of your soul? That is what being resonant means. Reflecting on the reality of God routinely until it becomes your new normal.
Jesus, I need You every hour. Show me how to live out my need of you by praying often. Keep me from falling asleep spiritually. May I always be invoking Your power, Most High God. In Jesus name. Amen.
Fiery Tuning!
Keep coming back and we will work help you remove the things that may hinder your longing for His return by cultivating an awareness of God’s presence. We will help you tune your heart to live out your worship by providing resources like this to help you acknowledge the greatness of God as you become more Resonant, 7 days a week.
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Everyone members enjoy this video, and the transcript below.
Video 11.6 Transcript
Welcome to Tuesday Tunings at Resonant 7, where we reflect on the reality of God and resolve to let it resound in our lives, repeatedly. Let’s tune our hearts.
I need Thee, oh, I need Thee;
Every hour I need Thee;
Oh, bless me now, my Savior,
I come to Thee.
I love it when writers repeat themselves, especially in song texts. It must be important when they do. Add in the emphatic “Oh” and it leaves no doubt. He needs God. I need God. Tell Him again, oh, tell Him again.
As if the first several times were not enough, here it is again. I am certain this repetition is not vain, but purposeful. We know we need God, but we are prone toward self-sufficiency. We repeat our need of God so we can not forget. Tell Him one last time.
And just what blessing are we longing for as we come to the Savior? Nothing more than Him alone. We have rehearsed that in every line of every stanza and we declare it here together. The blessing we long for is the presence of our Savior in every hour. Ask for it.
And we can be confident He will bless us with Himself. Why? Because we have humbly declared our need and asked for Him alone. Also because He promised. “Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.” James 4:8 Come to Him right now
Take a few moments to talk to Jesus about what has surfaced in your heart, or just listen to what He is saying to you, then we will sing once more.
Sing
Take the awareness of God’s presence cultivated in these last few minutes into the next ones and beyond. Until next time, be Resonant.
Image Attributions
Asleep – https://pixabay.com/photos/man-young-male-adult-sleeping-909049/
Hour – https://pixabay.com/photos/clock-time-watch-hours-minutes-1461689/
Flame – https://pixabay.com/images/search/flame/
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