I Need Thee Every Hour

How often do we find ourselves in our regular routine, going to class, going to work, just doing the things that we do and doing it all methodically. Do you really believe that God can use you? Are you open to His leading? Even in the midst of being 'ordinary', doing your 'ordinary' duties, God can use us all. I have been really interested in hymns lately and just the amazing lyrics and deep theology in many of them. At a Victorian Society event a couple of weeks ago I came across the old familiar hymn "I Need Thee Every Hour". I had never heard the story behind the hymn and I was so inspired by it. "I Need Thee Every Hour" was written in 1872 by a woman named Annie S. Hawks. Annie, in her own words, describes penning these words.

"One day as a young wife and mother of 37 years of age, I was busy with my regular household tasks. Suddenly, I became so filled with the sense of nearness to the Master that, wondering how one could live without Him, either in joy or in pain, these words, "I need thee every hour", were ushered into my mind, the thought at once taking full possecion of me."

Annie had an amazing influence- she is said to have penned around 400 hymns/poems, mostly used for Sunday School. I was so impressed with Annie's heart in the midst of her 'ordinary' life. She was just being a wife and mother, working in the home, and yet she allowed God to move in her and to use her. She knew that she could not live a single second without her Savior. Do we really realize that even in the midst of our everyday activity that we truly do need Him at all times? Take the time to read this beloved hymn again, really focusing on the lyrics and treasuring the story behind it. Understand that God can use you to do amazing things in the midst of your 'ordinary' life- and know that you are in constant need of Him.

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 loose 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.

A Life Worth Emulating

I have been studying discipleship over the past month or so and I have felt that the Lord has been teaching me a lot about myself through that. According to Allen Hadidan, "discipling others is the process by which a Christian with a life worth emulating commits himself or herself for an extended period of time to a few individuals who have been won to Christ, the purpose being to aid and guide their growth to maturity and equip them to reproduce themselves in a third spiritual generation". For any of you on student leadership at LU, I know you have heard that definition of discipleship before. But I have looked at this definition anew this semester, and saw it as more than just something the Office of Student Leadership wanted me to memorize. I want so much to be involved in discipling others. I hope that I am someone that others feel they can come to and learn from. Discipleship is in my heart, and it is commanded in Scripture. Matthew 28:19-20 says, "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Notice that the Great Commision does not say to go and evangelize, but to go and make disciples. Discipleship takes time and investment. In order to be a person who makes disciples, you have to have a life worth emulating. That is where I have been challenged. What does it take to have a life worth emulating? You have to be consistent in holiness, passionate about the Word, transperant with shortcomings, and following so closely to the example Christ gave us. We are to live life as He did. Warren Barfield has a song, Mistaken, in which he says, "I want to be mistaken for Jesus". Wow- what a statement. I want my actions to be so in tune with those of my Savior that people mistake me for Him. I was challenged this week by 1 John 2:6, "The one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked". Am I living a life that is so consistent with Him that I can say to someone, follow me as I follow Christ? Paul was able to make that statement in 1 Corinthians 11:1. Would I want someone to imitate my thoughts, my actions, my attitude, and my life? My challenge to myself and to you is to live in such a way that others can follow you because you are following so hard after Christ Jesus Himself. 1 Timothy 4:12 "Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe"

The Alabaster Vial

As I begin this blog, I am trying to determine my purpose in doing so. I desire to live each day as a walking worshiper of my Lord Jesus Christ. I hope that this blog can be a testimony to that fact; a place where I can share the lessons that God is teaching me, and hopefully provide encouragement to others. When I think of the kind of life I long to live, I am reminded of the woman in Matthew 26:7-13 who broke her alabaster box at the feet of Jesus. It says, "While He was in Bethany at the home of Simon the leper, and reclining at the table, there came a woman with an alabaster vial of very costly perfume of pure nard; and she broke the vial and poured it over His head. But some were indignantly remarking to one another, "Why has this perfume been wasted? "For this perfume might have been sold for over three hundred denarii, and the money given to the poor." And they were scolding her. But Jesus said, "Let her alone; why do you bother her? She has done a good deed to Me. "For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you wish you can do good to them; but you do not always have Me. "She has done what she could; she has anointed My body beforehand for the burial. "Truly I say to you, wherever the gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be spoken of in memory of her." An alabaster box/vial was part of a woman's dowry. It was to be given to her future husband as a wedding gift from her family. The fact that this woman gave so willingly her most prized possession and broke it at the feet of Jesus Christ astounds me. This alabaster vial was worth almost a year's wage (more than 300 denarri- 1 denarri was worth about a day's wage). She made a costly sacrifice because she knew that He was worth it. Because of her love and her annointing, something the disciples didn't even understand, Jesus said that she would be remembered throughout the whole world. I want to continually be kneeling at the feet of my Savior- in sacrifice and in service- with my alabaster vial broken before Him and for Him. He is the only One worthy of my praise, my worship, and my life. I give Him control. I have heard it said that the Lord can only fill you to the extent of which you empty yourself. I want to be an empty vessel that He can pour into! Here I am Lord, broken at your feet- fill me till I am overflowing!