Lord, I Need You
I don't know about you, but everyone seems to have some advice. Everyone has an opinion.
And quite frankly, I don't want your opinion unless you have the experience to back it up.
Same is true when it comes to fear.
Nike telling me to be "fearless" on an athletic t-shirt just doesn't sit well with me.
But Jesus telling me not to fear, that's different. He has the experience to back it up.
This verse in Isaiah is one of my favorites because it's just that - it showcases His resume.
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. - Isaiah 43:2-3
He parted the Red Sea when Pharaoh's army was in pursuit of killing the Israelites.
He did not let the flames burn those devoted to Him. Same for us. We may feel the heat but we will not be touched because His presence is with us.
And we'll see today how He is the same God yesterday, today and forever as my new friend, Gretchen Leech, shares a powerful story of how God met her on one of her darkest nights. She lives in Arkansas with her beautiful family and has a passion for teaching, studying, and writing about God's Word.
She's come to learn the only thing more powerful than fear is faith.
I pray her story ignites faith within you to believe God for the miracle you're needing.
Lord, I need you, Oh I need you. Every hour I need you. - Matt Maher, Lord, I Need You
It was in the dark hours of the night.
I couldn’t sleep.
The darkness of fear surrounded me.
Earlier that day my husband and I got the news that his cancer had returned and all I could do was replay the news over and over in my mind. My thoughts were consumed with what we were about to face. The challenges coming our way, the battle we were about to walk into. If I’m honest with you, I was full of fear that my husband might die this time around.
Do you know what I'm talking about? Have you had nights you were so full of worry and fear of what is to come that the idea of closing your eyes and getting a restful nights sleep is a million nights away?
My emotions were all over the place. I was grieved with sadness that our family was going through a cancer battle again, but I was also angry. I was mad that God allowed my husband to be sick again. I did not understand God’s ways. As I lay in bed next to my husband, who, by the way, was sleeping soundly next to me, I knew my body could not rest that night.
I did not see me going to sleep in these dark hours, so I crept out of bed. I left all the lights off in the house and went to our front room. I knew I needed to talk to God, but I had no idea what to say to Him. Was I supposed to shout angry obscenities at Him or was I supposed to sit and beg that He would save my husband’s life once again? Those were the only two options I thought there were.
I sat on the chair for a few minutes and just said Jesus’ name over and over. He spoke to me on that cold, dark night. My Savior told me to sing to Him, to praise His name. I began singing “Lord, I Need You” by Matt Maher.
Lord I come, I confess Bowing here, I find my rest Without You, I fall apart You’re the one that guides my heart. Lord, I need You, oh I need You Every hour, I need you My one defense, my righteousness Oh God, how I need you.
These words fell into my head like snowflakes falling onto a pond. My head soaked the words up and they streamed out of me straight to God. What I needed was not shouting or pleading, it was to get on my knees and rest in God’s loving arms. He wanted to hold me on that dark, lonely night and remind me He was there for me. He reminded me that every hour of our journey, He would be there.
He was and is our defense, our righteousness; without Him our family would fall apart. He was our guide through the dark forest called cancer. I needed to say, “I need you, Lord.” I needed to be reminded that I don’t have to do it alone.
Are there times where you are at a loss of what to do? Can you just not find the words to say to God? It doesn’t matter what you are going through, call out His name!
The name that is full of power, justice, righteousness, comfort, peace, healing, and rest. He will give you what you need. He will fulfill you in a way you didn't even know you needed. Romans 8:26, tells us the Spirit helps us when we are too weak to speak. When we do not know what to pray, “the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.” Isn’t that profound! All we have to do is go to Him on bended knee, full surrender, and He will provide our needs.
God provided exactly what I needed that night. After a few minutes of singing softly and praising God, I walked back to our bedroom, climbed into bed, and went straight to sleep. I woke up the next morning ready to face what was coming our way because I knew our family was not alone. God was walking with us every step of the way, even carrying us when we were too weak to walk. I knew our God would never forsake us because we needed Him, every hour we needed Him.
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. - Isaiah 43:2-3
Digging Deeper:
What is keeping you up at night?
What attribute of God are you needing the most right now?
What can you do on those nights you cannot sleep because your mind is racing with what is to come?
P.S. Do not worry, Doug’s cancer has not returned! This happened in 2016 when he relapsed. He is still cancer free!! Thank you, Lord!
Wow, just wow. Friend, I hope you're as encouraged as I am with Gretchen's story to remember our God is with us through our greatest battles.
He is bigger than cancer. He is bigger than fear.
Following Jesus and trusting Him doesn't mean we always feel fearless. The Christian life is not an absence of fear, at least it hasn't been for me. Instead, we let our faith be BIGGER than our fear. Because our God is BIGGER than our circumstances.
It's not about being completely fearless.
It's about bringing Jesus into that word - and we are able to fear less - because He is with us and He will always be.
Let's find strength in God's power and joy in the midst of the downpours as we trust He is near and feel His peace wash over us as we rest in the faithfulness of His resume.
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I'd love to see your creations - tag me in your social posts and stories!
The good life, well it starts with a good day. Then another. Then another. Let's choose to live #TheGoodDay one day at a time.
I love hearing from you, so go ahead. Leave a comment. Be brave. Maybe your comment will speak life into someone else!
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