As long as I have lived, the song I Need Thee Every Hour has been an important song to me. It is a moving song about the need of man to have the blessings of God that can be enjoyed by the child of God who has obediently put on Christ in baptism.
I need Thee every hour, Most gracious Lord;
No tender voice like Thine, Can peace afford.
I need Thee every hour: Stay Thou near by,
Temptations lose their pow’r, When Thou art nigh.
I need Thee every hour, In joy or pain;
Come quickly and abide, or life is vain.
I need Thee every hour, Most Holy One;
O make me Thine indeed, Thou blessed Son!
I need Thee, O I need Thee;
Every hour I need Thee!
O bless me now, my Savior:
I come to Thee!
There is no doubt that we need the Lord Jesus Christ. Though we were created in the image of God (Gen. 1:28), as we mature as human beings we enter into sin (Rom. 3:10; 3:23), and will be lost as a result (Rom. 6:23). However God loved us so much that He sent His Son to die in our stead so that we might be saved (John 3:16; 1 Tim. 2:3,4). We need the blood of Jesus to save us from sin (Rom. 6:3,4).
More than that, we need to will of Jesus to guide us in our daily lives. His word will judge us in the last day (John 12:48). But when we follow that word, we will know the truth that saves and sanctifies us (John 8:31,32; 17:17; James 1:21).
Our world is a difficult place to live for us and it wasn’t a cakewalk for the Lord either. However, because He endured the hardships of this life, He knows our struggles and is able to provide aid (Heb. 2:17,18; 4:13-16).
While I cannot have life eternal outside of Christ and I don’t have anywhere to turn for rest and comfort outside of Christ (Matt. 11:28-30; 2 Cor. 1:3-5), it is also true that my life cannot be complete without you, my brethren. I need your love (1 John 4:7,8). I need your prayers (1 Tim. 2:1,2,8). I need your kindness and forgiveness (Eph. 4:32). And just as I must put you first above my own needs, sometimes I need you to put me first (Phil. 2:1-4).
Do you know what else I need from you? I need you to be here for me in the worship and in Bible study. For it is when we come together and sing (as well as in the other acts of worship) that we speak to one another, teach and admonish one another, encourage faithfulness in one another, challenge each other to live for Christ, and show our love for God as the body of Christ (Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16). It is in the time we come together that we best stir up one another to love and good works (Heb. 10:24). It is where we gain conviction and strength to hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering (Heb. 10:24). It is something I need from you more and more as I grow older, as my children grow older, as the world continues, as frustrations and heartache pass by (Heb. 10:25). This world is a tough place to live. But when we come together as Christians, you help me more than you could know.
It is interesting that the Bible describes us as a body (1 Cor. 12:12f; Eph. 4:4). In order for a body to function the body must be intact. An eye can’t say to a foot, “I have no need of you.” On the contrary, the separate parts of the body cannot function unless they are connected and the systems are properly functioning.
The church is also described as a family. We are to be a fully functional family. As brothers and sisters in Christ, we should long to be with each other at every opportunity. There is no doubt, we need God and we need each other. Brethren, I need you!
