People Need the Lord
As I sat this morning thinking about what to write for a devotion this week, I came across a note from Josh Wortham, the music minister at Chester UMC. He was telling his choir that this Sunday they would sing “People Need the Lord.” I began to hum this song and then couldn’t get it out of my head. We live in times when we need the Lord! The first verse of this song says, “Every day they pass me by, I can see it in their eyes; Empty people filled with care, headed who knows where. On they go through private pain, living fear to fear; Laughter hides the silent cries only Jesus hears.” This sadly is the world we live in, and this is why the title is so appropriate – People Need the Lord!
The idea for this song emerged from a luncheon meeting in Nashville, Tennessee. Greg Nelson and Phill McHugh became aware of the pain in the eyes of their waitress, and Nelson said, “People need the Lord, don’t they?” Nelson responded, “Yes, people do need the Lord.” From that brief exchange came the idea for this song, which they sketched out during the remainder of the meal. The song was recorded in 1992 and has become a popular hymn and anthem for soloists and choirs.
Many times we wonder what we are supposed to do to follow Christ. Our mission field is broad. It includes folks who have never known God’s love as well as those who may feel distant and abandoned. I wonder today who God is calling you to pray for and witness to. Sing through some of these words and pray that God will open your heart to help someone today.
“We are called to take His light to a world where wrong seems right;
What could be too great a cost for sharing life with one who’s lost?
Through His love our hearts can feel all the grief they bear;
They must hear the words of life only we can share.”
“People need the Lord, people need the Lord;
At the end of broken dreams, He’s the open door.
People need the Lord. People need the Lord;
When will we realize that we must give our lives,
or people need the Lord.
Prayer – Lord, we need you, and there are folks everywhere who need you. Help us share your words of hope with everyone we meet. Amen.
Mark 6:34 – “When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd.”
By the Rev. Tommy Herndon
Images: Kyle Broad, Nick Fewings & Tim Mossholder, courtesy of Unsplash
