I Need Thee Every Hour

Even as a young girl, Annie Hawks wrote poems that expressed her faith in God. One day as she was going about her normal activities in 1873, when she was 37, she felt an overwhelming closeness to God. Describing this moment, she wrote how she suddenly “became so filled with the sense of nearness to the Master.”

Annie knew that the Lord was so precious to her that she wondered how she could ever live without Him. Words started flowing into her mind, and she said the thought of His presence at once took “full possession of me.”

She wrote, “I need Thee, O I need Thee; every hour I need Thee.” She knew that she needed to seek an intimate relationship with the Savior in order to be blessed: “O bless me now, my Savior, I come to Thee.”

Annie realized that when she was close to Jesus, He provided all the protection she needed: “I need Thee every hour, stay Thou nearby; temptations lose their power when Thou art nigh.” And she needed Him all the time: “I need Thee every hour, in joy or pain; come quickly and abide, or life is in vain.”

She had discovered that Jesus would provide the answers to all of her problems: “I need Thee every hour; teach me Thy will; and Thy rich promises in me fulfill.” In His presence, she could experience deep and lasting peace: “I need Thee every hour, most gracious Lord; no tender voice like Thine can peace afford.”

These became the words to a hymn that still touches lives: “I Need Thee Every Hour.” Right now, if you know this hymn, sing it unto God. Ask Him to overwhelm you with His presence. He is right by your side, going through your journey with you. Speak to Him often. Call on His name, and allow Him to fill you with His peace, joy, and power.