A Christian mother was up late one night, unhappy and almost desperate. Over the radio came the sound of a gospel broadcast. The hymn being sung was:
I need Thee every hour, most gracious Lord,
No tender voice like Thine can peace afford.
Peace? This woman felt no peace. For four months her husband had been ill with a heart problem and he was unable to work. Tonight her little daughter was fretfully tossing with a fever. The house was not as warm as it should be. With her husband disabled, the bills had been mounting up. The fuel company refused to give her any more credit until she paid what she owed. A letter had come that day from her son who was in the service. He was coming home on leave before being sent to a faraway troubled spot. Weary, and with no one to turn to for help, she felt she could not bear it any longer.
The choir sang on:
I need Thee, oh, I need Thee; every hour I need Thee!
Oh, bless me now, my Saviour—I come to Thee!
Automatically, the mother’s voice joined in the chorus. Her singing was shaky, for tears were close, but the words were a cry from her heart. The Saviour who had saved her was at hand to help, even now. He heard her cry for help, and His tender voice did bring peace to her heart. As she tried to sing the familiar words, a spasm of crying relieved her tension and she was calm again.
“I still have my husband,” she reminded herself. “Things may be hard now because he can’t work, but the Lord will take care of us. Susie will probably be much better in the morning. Though my boy is sent so far away, I am to have 21 days with him before he goes. And the Lord can keep him as safe there as at home.”
The matter of the fuel seemed like an impossible mountain just a few minutes ago. Now it wasn’t. She asked the Lord for wisdom, and then visited the company’s office and arranged to pay her bill in small payments, and they sent more fuel!
How quickly all that had seemed so hopeless was cleared up! She had renewed her trust in her Saviour, and He had fulfilled His promise of peace to her heart.
Have you received that gift of peace? v