Lord, I Need You

I am so very aware of my need right now. I bet you are, too. When things are going smoothly, I can be lulled into feeling secure and confident in my own abilities. In other words, “Me do it myself,” as my toddlers were wont to say long ago when they were struggling to assert themselves.

I’ve walked with the Lord for more than half a century, and the further we go together, the less I know, the less sure I am of myself, and the sooner I’m likely to come running to my Father with a cry for help. Learning to relish this child-to-Father relationship and accepting that it will always be so is the stuff of this life on planet earth.

God’s way is one of showing me the lack and then abundantly meeting the need with Himself. But so often we look for the need to be met anywhere but in His presence. We look for information with which to make educated decisions. We look for comfort in the noise of data and the splash of media.

Scripture tells us that wisdom is from heaven and that it is peace-producing (James 3:17). Peace is the indicator. If I am lacking peace, then the wisdom I think I have is not from heaven. The wisdom of heaven is also without hypocrisy. If I have a series of committee meetings in my own mind where first the one hand and then the other hand becomes the ruling opinion then I have not accessed the wisdom from above.

Good news! There is rest for my weary soul, and yours, too. Rest from the noise, relief from the chaos, peace amidst the storm. He is all I need. In His presence is fullness of joy (Ps 16:11). He will not laugh at my distress, no. He was a man acquainted with grief, and He understands my sorrow (Is 53:3). But He will embrace me, overshadow me, comfort and heal me, and at the right time, He will exchange my sorrow for gladness (Ps 30:11).

In the middle of my lack, He is the source of all I need. If I will seek His presence, I will find strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow. Seek His presence. Come boldly to the throne of grace and find help in time of need (Heb 4:16).

Heavenly Father, here I am. All that I am and all that I have. All that I’m not and all that I don’t have. All of me, including the carved out places that suffering has left. I come to you, just as I am. Thank you for receiving me. Thank you for accepting me into the light of your glory and goodness. Thank you for your mercy that covers and your grace that restores. Let me know your great love. Fill me up and pour me out again and again, so that I can keep coming; so that I can always come running to you. I love you, Lord, and I need you, and I’m so glad that I do. I pray, Father, in Jesus’ name, amen.

Until next week, be content with the need that presses you into Him.