What is the Need of the Hour?

Posted on October 18, 2022 by Elizabeth Welte in Freedom Fighters

In following the coverage of Hurricane Harvey, much was said of the devastation left in its wake… ruined homes, stranded families, and impoverished communities. One would think that the need of the hour is money… and many have answered that need with millions giving to help. But is money enough to meet the need of the heart? One video that brought tears to my eyes was of a shelter with families covering every inch of space, clutching what little they had left of their lives… yet they were singing praises to our God. It reminded me of Paul and Silas in the Philippian jail singing and praising their God!

Many of those interviewed about their losses in the hurricane said that it was just ‘stuff’ which they can repurchase, but they were really thankful that their families were still together. This is true and something we usually only realize in “the storms of life,” so yes, money is needed; but it’s not the “need of the hour.” The Word I began thinking about was “perseverance.” I remember during Hurricane Sandy, we lost power for a week. I think back to what it took to maintain the generator and house both day and night, and the perseverance it took to press forward as the days dragged on. I am thankful we didn’t lose the house like many did during Hurricane Harvey. So maybe the “need of the hour” is what will give us hope to sustain our perseverance…? If you have ever lived through a tragic situation, an acute or terminal illness of a loved one, a loss of life or property, or a severe conflict, you know how draining it is and how tired and ready to give up you become; the central or core “need of the hour” then must be what gives and sustains hope – that which lifts our spirit and makes us able to sing in the midst of life’s storms.

Dawson Trotman wrote that what generates the kind of hope that will energize perseverance is, “an army of Believers, dedicated to Jesus Christ, who believe not only that He is God, but that He can fulfill every promise He has ever made, and that there isn’t anything too hard for Him.” It is on this sustaining truth “that our God is able to fulfill every promise”, that we are able to press on, knowing with certainty that He will meet the needs of our heart, by which we can also then face every other circumstance.

The promises of God trump the problems of life, and it is when I am certain of who God is and what He has promised, that I am able to stand firm in any storm or battle, obeying His Word, and doing what pleases Him… living by faith.

The “need of the hour,” no matter the circumstance, is then to know The One who created and sustains all things; who knows your heart and has provided for your every need… even at the cost of His Son as payment for your sin; and who has promised to never leave you nor forsake you.

Jesus has set the example we are to follow here, for the writer of Hebrews tells us, “For the Joy set before Him (that is obeying the Father), He endured the cross, despising its shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”

(Heb 12:2-3)

What is the ‘need of the hour?’ It is ‘to trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on our own understanding. And in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths.” (Prov 3:5-6)

Choose wisely….

Praying U choose Christ today

 

Written by David Brown: David Brown is a husband, father, grandfather, Pastor with a Masters of Religious Studies and a Professor of Philosophy and Comparative Religions. Dave is the Associate Pastor of Pemberton’s First Baptist Church. He is the author of two devotional books, “From a Chair by the Window.” And “#PrayerWinsThe Day”.


Think About This: “Remember you serve a God without limits. He can scatter your troubles; He is the God who cannot fail! – Pastor John Hagee

The Daily Bible Reading: Isaiah 65-66; 2 Thessalonians 1 You can download our 2022 Daily Bible Reading Plan by clicking here. 

This Week’s Verse to Memorize: “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.” – 2 Corinthians 10:3-5

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