“I need Thee every hour” is the title of a beloved 19th century hymn composed by Annie Hawks. These words were never more true than they are today, in this hour. These five simple words get right to the heart of a spiritual matter common to us all: the need to acknowledge our dependence on God.
Usually, we go from day to day thinking we’re in control of our lives. We make our plans, schedule our time, follow our routines. These are all good and necessary things and we need to keep doing them! And yet, it’s easy to forget God, or push God to the side, and get caught up in our plans, our schedules, our daily lives. It’s not that we intend to forget God or our need of God; it’s more a gradual unmooring into the sea of self-sufficiency.
And then something like the pandemic happens, which takes away our illusion of control and makes us aware in a deeper way of how much we need God, and how dependent we are upon God. Perhaps we wonder how to reconnect with God; maybe we resolve that from this time forward, we will never again get so caught up in our lives that we forget God.
But how do we do that? How do we learn to acknowledge our dependence on God in the midst of our daily routines? This is where a spiritual practice (or two) can really help:
Some people pray the Daily Office at home – those beautiful daily prayer services in The Book of Common Prayer. For the past few months, we’ve had an opportunity to gather online at Epiphany three days a week for one of these offices: Noonday Prayer on Tuesdays, Morning Prayer on Wednesdays, Compline on Thursdays.
Some people meditate or practice centering prayer each day.
Others read a daily devotional or have a practice of regular spiritual reading.
Many people say grace before meals as a way to thank God for our daily bread.
Some read the Bible and/or take part in our Sunday morning discussion of the day’s lessons.
And as always, we continue to gather online each Sunday morning for worship and spiritual Communion.
As Suzanne wrote in her article last week, “What are your practices? Do you need a start or a re-start? Find what works for you; Jesus will love you no matter how you listen to him.” In this uncertain and anxious time, I hope you have found – or renewed – some spiritual practices that work for you, practices that help you remember God through the day. We need God every hour, and God is graciously, lovingly there whenever we turn to God.
Yours in Christ,
Sarah
