The sentiments of this song, Lord, “I need thee every hour,” are the same sentiments from the apostle Paul: “pray without ceasing” (1 Thess. 5:17). Annie Hawks wrote, “I need thee every hour.” She writes that she had been so filled with the sense of nearness to the Master that she wondered how anyone could live without Him, in joy or pain. Then the words to this song rushed into her mind and she wrote them down, in 1872. Christians have been singing the song for the past 145 years. Mrs. Hawks wrote 400 songs although this one is practically the only one that is still sung.
Think about the words of the song as we consider these thoughts. In the hour of need, we should meditate on:
THE NATURE OF GOD:
“I need thee every hour, most gracious Lord; No tender voice like Thine can peace afford. I need thee. Oh, I need thee. Every hour I need thee! O bless me now, my Savior: I come to thee!”
Our entire system of faith stands or falls on our concept, our understanding of the nature of God. There are three qualities of God that are specifically mentioned in the song: God’s grace (see 2 Cor. 12:7-10), His tender voice that gives peace (John 10:1-4), and His holiness (Isa. 6:3).
So, in your hour of need, remember the nature of God: His grace, His holiness, and His tender voice. He is there to help.
In our hour of need, we should meditate on:
THE STRENGTH AGAINST TEMPTATIONS:
“I need thee every hour, Stay thou near by; Temptations lose their power when Thou art nigh. I need thee. Oh, I need thee. Every hour I need thee! O bless me now, my Savior: I come to thee!”
The well-known Baptist preacher Charles Spurgeon once said, “Praying will make you leave off sinning, or sinning will make you leave off praying.” How true that is. It is simply the case that we cannot, we will not sin while we are praying. So, if and when we come to the point where we know we are faced with temptation, especially in those areas where we know we are weak, we need to pray. We need to find strength from God in the face of those temptations.
In your hour of need, find strength from Jesus in your temptations.
In our hour of need, we should meditate on:
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THE PRESENCE OF GOD IN JOY OR PAIN:
“I need thee every hour, In joy or pain; Come quickly and abide, or life is vain. I need thee. Oh, I need thee. Every hour I need thee! O bless me now, my Savior: I come to thee!”
What about God’s presence with us in joy? Isn’t it just as important for us to pray to God in times of joy as it is in times of pain? What would happen if we ignored God in times of joy? See Proverbs 30:8-9. Solomon suggests that the temptation in wealth, the temptation in blessings, is that we have a tendency to deny God and say, “Who is the Lord?” In other words, we are tempted to say, “I pulled myself up by my own bootstraps. I’ve done all this myself. I do not need God.” Compare King Rehoboam in 2 Chronicles 12:1.
We need God to come, abide with us, as the song says, even in joy so God can help us be thankful, help us keep our blessings in their perspective, and to keep us from forgetting about Him. In your hour of joy, keep God’s presence in your life not just because you may lose those blessings at any time but also because it is God who gives you the strength to make wealth (Deut. 8:18). He needs to get the glory and receive the thanks for all the good that you enjoy and experience in your life.
In our hour of need, we should meditate on:
BELONGING TO THE SON:
“I need thee every hour, Most Holy One; O make me Thine indeed, Thou Blessed Son! I need thee. Oh, I need thee. Every hour I need thee! O bless me now, my Savior: I come to thee!”
We find our identity in connection with Jesus Christ. Jesus is our connection to the “Most Holy One.” We desire to belong to God so we obey Jesus Christ. In Christ, we become children of God, sons and daughters of God. Jesus was God’s Son by nature; we are God’s children by grace (see 1 John 3:1-3).
“Think of the soul’s wants – and they are all met in the Savior. Ignorant, in Christ we have knowledge and wisdom. Naked, in Christ we have the robe of salvation. Hungry, He is the bread of life. Guilty, He is our pardon. Unholy, He is our righteousness. Wretched, He is our peace. Perishing, He is our Deliverer and portion. To the soul who has found Christ, it may be said, ‘All are yours.’” (Jabez Burns, Sketches of Sermons on the Parables and Miracles of Christ, pg. 79).
In your hour of need, be reminded that you, as a Christian, belong to God through His Son. There are special blessings and promises that you enjoy as a member of God’s family.
Every hour, we need God, to reflect on His nature, to find strength against temptation, to keep the joy of life in perspective, and to remember we belong to His Son.
–Paul Holland
