To Read on the Journey

Saturday, October 20, 2012

O I Need Thee (Day 20 & 21)

For 31 days I am writing to my children
my future grandchildren, great, and all my great-grandchildren.

  
In 1872, on a bright June morning, at 37 years of age, Annie  Hawks, a wife and mother, was busy with household tasks in her Brooklyn, New York home.  She was thinking about how near the Savior was to her and how impossible it would be to live without the Master, whether in joy or pain. From that the poem came  together: “I need thee every hour ….”

(Annie Hawks husband, Pastor Robert Lowry,  put it to music.  Listen to my favorite version, by Jars of Clay, here I Need Thee Every Hour.MP3).
 
 
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.

I need Thee every hour, stay Thou nearby;
Temptations lose their power when Thou art nigh.

I need Thee every hour, in joy or pain;
Come quickly and abide, or life is in vain.

I need Thee every hour; teach me Thy will;
And Thy rich promises in me fulfill.

I need Thee every hour, most Holy One;
O make me Thine indeed, Thou blessed Son.


And here I am, 140 years later, on a bright October morning, 38 years old, a wife and mother, preparing for a day filled with household tasks, thinking about the lyrics to this powerful hymn. Each word a prayer, quieting what I think I need, and agreeing with my Spirit with what I know I need. 

I need my LORD every hour. 

I need His Truth. 

I need Him close.

I need Him in every circumstance. 

I need His leading. 

I need His will for me, for my family. 

I need to be fully His, and for Him to be fully mine.

Oh. I. Do. Need. Him.

And He wants me to need Him.  When I need Him I see Him.  See Him~mighty, moving, redeeming, weaving all things together.  I see that He. is. God.  And ALL I need. 

The rich words from this hymn are my prayer over you today, my children, my grandchildren, and all my great grandchildren. 

Father I pray that every generation will recognize their need for you and come to you. Amen.   


Live in Peace,

 







4 comments:

Joy said...

So glad to have found you, Denise! This is the hymn that springs to my lips on hard days. Thank you for this history lesson :)

Jennifer {Studio JRU} said...

Beautiful, Denise. Praying the need for Him is recognized. Yes.

Unknown said...

Love this hymn, it is one of my all-time favorites! I also love this series, it is inspiring me every time I read!

Linda Z said...

"See Him~mighty, moving, redeeming, weaving all things together."

How melodic and true.