Today's Devotional

Brought to you by Dream Team member Bobbi Heffel

I tried moving on from the song still stuck in my head.

 I need Thee, oh, I need Thee;
Every hour I need Thee;
Oh, bless me now, my Savior,
I come to Thee.

Instead, I find myself digging in deeper. It is a wonderful and marvelous thing to need the Lord each hour. Yes, each second too. Jesus set a perfect pattern for us on how and when to need/call upon the Father.

•  Early in the morning

Mark 1:35
[ Jesus Prays in a Solitary Place ] Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.

•  Often

Luke 5:16
But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.
Luke 5:15-17 (in Context) Luke 5 (Whole Chapter)

• Times of purpose and accomplishment

John 17:1
[ Jesus Prays for Himself ] After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed: “Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you.
John 17:1-3 (in Context) John 17 (Whole Chapter)

•  When we come to the end of ourself, face death, or feel forsaken

The Death of Jesus  - Mark 15:33-35

 ³³ At the sixth hour darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour. ³⁴ And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?”—which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”^[a]

 ³⁵ When some of those standing near heard this, they said, “Listen, he’s calling Elijah.”

Footnotes:

Mark 15:34 Psalm 22:1

•  When our heart is troubled   

Matthew 12:27 “Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. ²⁸ Father, glorify your name!”

•  Times of celebration and public obedience

Luke 3:21-23

The Baptism and Genealogy of Jesus

 ²¹ When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened ²² and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”

 ²³ Now Jesus himself was about thirty years old when he began his ministry. He was the son, so it was thought, of Joseph,the son of Heli,

•  We are about to eat or in need of a great abundance/blessing

Matthew 14:    ¹⁸ “Bring them here to me,” he said. ¹⁹ And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. ²⁰ They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. ²¹ The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children.

If Jesus called upon the Father in all these circumstances how much more do we need God’s presence in our lives? He is our ever present help, comforter, deliverer, fortress, defender, friend, teacher, encourager, protector, counselor, great physician and love.

“[Thanksgiving and Prayer] We ought always to thank God for you, brothers, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love every one of you has for each other is increasing.”            2 Thessalonians 1:3

 

Prayer

Lord, may we continue to grow in faith. Thank you for encouraging us to come to you on all occasions. Surely you are worthy of our trust and adoration. Glory to God in the highest who is worthy to receive all honor and glory forever. Amen