I need Thee every hour, stay Thou nearby;
Temptations lose their pow’r when Thou art nigh.
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.
We are going to declare again and again over these weeks how much we need God. We are doing this for our benefit, for the sooner this settles in the better off we will be, for the more enabled we will find ourselves to overcome the power of temptation. Let’s tune our hearts.
Help
The image that comes to mind for me is a little child trying to muster up the courage to do something. They want to do it, and do it by themselves, but they feel much better about trying when mom or dad are nearby. Like climbing the ladder to the sliding board.
They want to do it, but with the moral support drawn from the nearness of a parent, just in case something goes wrong. There is a little danger, but it is mitigated by the power of the parent. The parent gives courage to the child simply by being near. This is a very powerful, positive perspective.
As we get a little older, we still find comfort in the nearness of authority. There is simply something reassuring about the access to someone with the power to help should the need arise. When we know we have the ear of one who can change a scenario it changes everything. The Psalmist put that feeling like this.
Incline your ear, O Lord, and answer me, for I am poor and needy. Psalm 86:1 ESV
But it is not only the access that reassure us. It is the certainty of an answer. And we need that answer when we acknowledge we are poor and needy.
When I embarked on this journey of Resonant 7 several years ago I had a friend who offered me some good counsel. He told be to ask for help when I needed it. Then he said, “You need to act like a poor man and not be ashamed to ask for help when there is something you need that you can not accomplish without help.”
That counsel has served me well on this journey but has also challenged me in other areas as well. Admitting we are poor and needy, especially to one that can help is a humbling and rewarding experience, but not one most of us look forward to. You see it is one thing to be heard. It is quite another to be helped. Ask God to help you call out to Him for help when you need it.
Jesus, help me to be willing to ask for Your help when I need it. And I need it every hour, so I can be certain to have many opportunities to practice it. Thank You Lord in advance for each one.
Nearby
If are going to ask someone for help it is useful to get near them. There are times when we know we need God’s help but He seems distant. It makes me think of the old adage, “If God seems distant, realize He is not the one who moved.” We must address this drift.
Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. James 4:8 ESV
This Scripture makes very clear the cause fo the drift. Sin. For me it is the temptation to think I am self-sufficient. Though I know this is not true, I often act in a way that is quite contrary to that.
Staying near to God, and drawing near when we have drifted away, is a crucial part of acknowledging our need of Him. Our double mindedness is the issue. We waver between wanting to please God and please ourselves. We need to ask for His forgiveness for the times we have lived for us, and then sin we have gotten into as we drifted away, and for His help to live for Him.
One of the main points of Resonant 7 is to help people cultivate an awareness of God’s presence. When we are mindful He is near, it has a very profound effect on our ability to live for Him. That ability keeps us out of trouble by ensuring we are engaged in His will and ways.
Ask God to help you cultivate a continual awareness of His presence. Ask Him to help you stay nearby, as opposed to wandering off and getting in all sorts of trouble. Jesus is always near. We simply need greater awareness of Him.
Jesus, Your presence makes the difference in every circumstance. Help me to be quick to confess my need of You, and to live in Your presence. In Jesus name. Amen.
Continual 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 enjoy this video and transcript!
Video 11.2 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 every hour, stay Thou nearby;
Temptations lose their pow’r when Thou art nigh.
Here we are again. Another week, another stanza, and another 168 hours of experiencing our need of Jesus. Maybe you became aware of your need as He seemed distant at some point. Truth is He is always closer than even your breath. Tell Him you need Him.
If He seems distant, as the old adage says, remember it is Jesus who moved. The point is, we often lack awareness of how near He is because we have learned to be comfortable being unaware of His presence. Ask Him to heighten your awareness of His presence.
We all have temptations. The important thing to remember is that temptations do not need to have us. They seem so powerful when we try to overcome them on our own. That apparent power is diminished as our sense of the Lord’s presence is increased.
We cultivate our awareness of His presence when we confess our need of Him. That awareness is the best weapon again temptations and the weaknesses of our lessor selves. Ask the Lord to help you cultivate your spiritual sensitivity every hour.
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
I Need Thee – https://pixabay.com/photos/hands-hand-fold-woman-finger-work-2274255/
Every Hour – https://pixabay.com/photos/clock-alarm-clock-watch-time-old-1274699/
Most gracious Lord – https://pixabay.com/illustrations/painting-artwork-art-russian-art-1023419/
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