My Favorite Song
Deb Egan grew up in a Catholic family. Throughout her adult life, she has participated as a church volunteer in many capacities, including teaching Religious Education, being a Eucharistic Minister and Lector, Ministering to the elderly and homebound, and Facilitating Small Faith Groups. She has been trained by Evangelical Catholic and became a member of the Build the Faith Team in April of 2017.
When I was thinking about what to write in this week’s blog, what came to my mind was the song “Lord, I Need You” by Matt Maher. If you’ve never heard this song, I highly recommend you Google it and have a listen. It’s one of my favorites.
The song is fairly simple and direct in its approach, but it packs a powerful message nonetheless. It talks about how we can find rest in Jesus, how Jesus guides our hearts and fills us with grace to help us avoid temptation and sin, and how Jesus lives within each one of us. It also talks about how Jesus keeps us together and gives us hope.
As I pondered the lyrics and their meaning, several examples of the song’s message came to mind. First and foremost, the song reminds us that when life is hard we can go to Jesus. Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest, says the Lord. (Matthew 11:28) Have you ever thought about what this means for you in your own life? Speaking as a person who has had three life‑threatening illnesses, I have found myself in each of these instances going to the Lord seeking rest. Praying, sitting quietly with the Blessed Sacrament, or receiving the Eucharist has always brought me peace and comfort in the toughest of times. For me, it’s like the song says, “Without You [Jesus], I fall apart.”
This brings me to another message imbedded in the song: Jesus keeps us together and gives us hope. For sure, even when my body was literally falling apart, my soul remained intact. That’s because I truly believe that regardless of what happens in my life God will provide me with what I need. In times of crisis, knowing that Jesus is walking with me has been so helpful that I have often wondered how people who do not believe in God get through life’s challenging moments.
Though we definitely need Jesus to help us through our difficulties; we also need Him in our everyday existence. As the song says, Jesus guides our hearts. He’s there with us in the ordinary course of our day. Whether we are doing the dishes, helping our kids with homework, or relaxing with family and friends, Jesus is there with us, nudging us in the right direction. His Word gives us a code to live by and helps us to make decisions, both big and small. As Pope Francis tells us, “It is striking that most of his time on Earth the Lord spent in this way: living an ordinary life, without standing out….It reveals the greatness of daily life, the importance in God’s eyes of every gesture and moment.”
What about during the good times? Do we also need Jesus then? The answer according to the song is a definitive “yes.” I can attest to the fact that Jesus is definitely there with us in our joy. Recently, my cousin’s son had a baby boy. He’s the first baby of the next generation in our family. To say we are ecstatic to have this new person in our lives would be an understatement! Our joy just oozes out of us whenever we are with the baby or even when we are sharing photos of him! Our new favorite game is “pass the baby.” These deeply rooted euphoric feelings stem from the love we have within us – the love of Jesus. Jesus wants us to share our love with those around us. He wants it to radiate from us.
I hope you will take some time today to reflect on Jesus’ presence in your own lives. In good times and bad, in big matters and small, Lord, we need You!
