I Need You To Survive

Sunday’s worship was a celebration of the deep, God-given need we have for one another. From the very beginning, we were reminded that no one is meant to walk this journey alone. Through stories of the prodigal son, Elijah, and Jacob, we saw how even the strongest, the most independent, and the most resourceful among us eventually come to the end of themselves. Each of these stories reveals that isolation is not the answer—healing, restoration, and hope are found in relationship, in community, and in the arms of those who love us.

The prodigal son’s journey away from home led him not just to financial ruin, but to a loss of self and identity. It was only when he remembered his father’s love and returned home that he found grace waiting for him. Elijah, after his mountaintop victory, found himself exhausted and alone, ready to give up. God’s answer was not a sermon, but simple care—a meal, rest, and the gentle reminder that he was not alone. Jacob, the lifelong runner, finally learned through wrestling with God that his wounds were not a curse but a calling—a reminder to return to relationship, to reconciliation, and to the embrace of his brother.

These stories are not just ancient tales; they are mirrors for our own lives. We all have moments when we think we can handle it alone, when we push others away, or when we feel too broken to reach out. But God’s design is for us to lean on one another, to confess our need, and to receive grace through the hands and hearts of others. Communion itself is a weekly reminder that we cannot even receive the bread and cup without someone else passing it to us. Jesus needed his disciples, and we need each other.

On Sunday, we sang, prayed, and shared communion, we confessed and committed to one another: “I need you to survive.” This is not just a song, but a covenant—a way of life. We are called to pray for one another, to serve, to reach out, and to let others in. Whether it’s helping a neighbor move, serving food to the hungry, or simply checking in on someone who is struggling, these acts are the heartbeat of the church. In all things, may we remember: we need each other, and in Christ, we are never alone.

Did You Miss Sunday’s Message? Watch Here – Broken, Running, and Limping to Love

Key Takeaways

– Rock Bottom Reveals Our Need for Grace and Community
Luke 15:11-24 – The Parable of the Prodigal Son
The prodigal son’s story shows that sometimes it takes reaching the lowest point to realize how much we need others and God. Brokenness is not just about loss, but about losing our sense of belonging and identity. True healing begins when we turn back toward relationship, where grace is waiting to welcome us home.

– Even the Strongest Need Rest, Care, and Companionship
1 Kings 19:1-18 – Elijah’s Exhaustion and God’s Care
Elijah’s exhaustion after his greatest victory reminds us that no one is too spiritual, too strong, or too accomplished to need help. God’s response to Elijah’s despair was not more work or more words, but nourishment, rest, and the assurance that he was not alone. Sometimes, what we need most is not another task, but the simple presence and care of others.

– Wounds Can Be a Calling Back to Relationship
Genesis 32:22-33:11 – Jacob Wrestles with God and Reconciles with Esau
Jacob’s limp was not a punishment, but a reminder that healing is found not in isolation, but in reconciliation. His encounter with God and his brother Esau teaches us that our struggles and scars can push us back into the arms of those we need and who need us. Our wounds can become the very means by which we reconnect and find peace.

– We Need Each Other—Especially When We Feel Least Able to Ask
The call to community is not just for the good days, but especially for the days when we are running, falling, or limping. Admitting our need is not weakness, but the doorway to grace and strength. The church is a place where we confess, “I need you, you need me,” and where we commit to pray for, support, and love one another through every season.

– Communion and Service Are Acts of Mutual Dependence
The act of sharing bread and cup is a living symbol that we cannot do life alone. Jesus himself needed his disciples, and we need each other to pass the bread, to pray, to serve, and to build God’s kingdom together. Every act of service, every offering, every prayer is a reminder that someone needs us, and we are called to respond with open hands and hearts.

Questions for Reflection

1. The prodigal son’s “rock bottom” was more than just financial loss. What does this week’s message suggest about the deeper kind of brokenness he experienced, and how does this relate to our own sense of belonging?
2. Elijah was a strong prophet, yet he still needed rest and care. What does this teach about the limits of self-reliance, even for the “strongest” among us?
3. Jacob’s limp was described as a “calling” rather than a curse. How might your own wounds or struggles become a calling for you? How might that calling connect you to community?
4. Think about a time when you tried to handle a difficult situation alone. What happened, and how might things have been different if you had reached out for help?
5. Is there a “limp” or wound in your life that you’ve seen as a weakness? How might God use that very thing to draw you back into relationship with others?
6. The phrase we sang on Sunday – “I need you to survive” – was described as a covenant, not just a song. What would it look like for you to live out this commitment in your daily life, both inside and outside the church?

Quotes to Remember

“We need each other. Not just on good days, but especially on days when we’re running away. Not just when it’s easy, but especially when it’s hard. Not just when we feel like, hey, I got this. But especially when we don’t got this. Not just when we’re standing, but especially when we fall. Not just when we’re walking through life just fine, but especially when we’re just limping along.”  [00:30:35] 

“Don’t ever think you’re too anointed to get exhausted. Don’t ever think you’re too strong to be broken. Don’t ever think you’re too right to be wrong. Don’t think you’re too put together to fall apart. Don’t think you’re too good to be bad, that you’re too saved to feel lonely. Don’t think that your will will keep you going forever. Don’t think that your two hands don’t need two more to help. Don’t think that your title can keep you from tiredness. [00:23:16] 

“I pray for you.
You pray for me.
I love you.
I need you to survive.
I won’t harm you with words from my mouth.
I love you.
I need you to survive.” (from “I Need you to Survive” by Hezekiah Walker)