Every Hour I Need Thee

There is a sign in my office directly across from my desk that I see every day. It reads, “Every hour I need Thee.” These words come from a hymn written by Annie Hawks and Robert Lowery, “I Need Thee Every Hour.” Many of us could likely break out into this hymn that speaks of a heart crying out for God’s presence in every moment of life, whether we are experiencing sorrow, joy, or stillness. While we could point to many biblical figures who shared the sentiments of this song, the one who currently comes to mind is Hannah, the mother of Samuel.

The book of 1 Samuel opens with Hannah’s story and the sorrow she was experiencing over her inability to have children. Her pain was heightened by her rival mocking her and her husband struggling to understand the extent of her heartache. Yet in this moment, Hannah ran to God. “In her deep anguish Hannah prayed to the Lord, weeping bitterly” (1 Samuel 1:10). Her prayer in the temple that day is a living picture of the words of this hymn: “I need Thee ev’ry hour, most gracious Lord; no tender voice like Thine can peace afford. / I need Thee, O I need Thee, ev’ry hour I need Thee; O bless me now, my Savior, I come to Thee.”

What I love about Hannah’s story is that her peace did not come after the Lord gave her the desire of her heart, her peace came after she sought His presence. The hymn speaks of this as well, “I need Thee ev’ry hour, stay Thou nearby; temptations lose their power when Thou art nigh.” God’s presence gave her strength, and she submitted herself to His guidance and His will for her life. When God answered her prayer with a son, she fulfilled her vow and gave Samuel back to the Lord. Hannah surrendered her whole life to God’s plan and showed that her greatest need was truly God Himself. Her story calls us to do the same.

Needing God in every hour and every moment is not living in a state of weakness, but rather, it is living with a heart fully entrusted to the one who created it.