Hello my friends!
I wanted to encourage you today with a hymn that I was listening to during my morning devotional time. It is called I Need Thee Every Hour and you can listen to my friend Fernando sing it here.
I was so struck by this first verse:
I need Thee every hour,
Most gracious Lord;
No tender voice like Thine,
Can peace afford.
I need Thee, O I need Thee,
Every hour I need Thee!
O bless me now, my Savior,
I come to Thee.
What struck me today was how strongly I identified with the idea of a constant, hourly need for God’s peace. Not just a longing, but a true need. Like without it I’ll fall apart. The need is becoming more and more desperate. I cannot do this alone.
Usually I try to just solve these anxious thoughts by worrying my way through them. But Jesus tells us that all that mental and emotional effort cannot add a single hour to the span of our lives. What it can do is rob us of an hour of life. Rob us of peace. Steal our joy.
If I’m being honest, most days I am not aware of my constant need. I do check in here and there throughout the day with God, but I quickly lose sight that I’m yoked to Him, like a team of oxen. We’re in this together. Every step of the way. Every hour.
And sometimes it is only when the load feels like more than I can bear that I remember that He is with me. I’ve grown complacent in the ease of the burden and wrongly assumed I was carrying it alone. The gift of the weight is the reminder that I’m not alone. God is always right here. Not just cheering me on, but shouldering the bulk of the load. Letting me carry just enough to build my strength. To increase my endurance.
Because the truth is, life is always more than I can bear alone. But with him, it is easy and light. That is the promise. And so I cry out. Every hour. I need you! And in that moment, peace. He is there. I rest in His presence.
Until that next worry comes, and I must cry out again.
2 Thessalonians 3:16 Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all.
I pray you are enjoying this Holy Week as we continue to prepare our hearts for Easter. We are collecting video selfies of yourselves and families saying “He is risen!” Those can be sent to Greg Sowle atwordnow@gmail.com and need to be sent to him asap. I look forward to seeing you all in our Easter montage this Sunday morning. (Mary Hurlbut wanted me to remind you to hold the camera above eye level.)
Tonight the Men’s Upper Room Study is happening at 7pm on Zoom here. And tomorrow night Deeper Walk at 7pm here. I sure hope you can join us.
I sure love you guys! May God lift up His countenance on you and give you peace!
Jeff