“When Jesus is all you’ve got, you realize He’s all you need.”
I’m not sure where it came from—or I’d happily tell you the source—but the message it conveys is both comforting and frightening.
It’s frightening because the expression seems to say that until you’ve got nothing, you don’t know Jesus is all you really need. Actually…that’s basically what it’s saying. And that’s frightening.
The frightening part is what we’d go through to understand the truth of what it means.
Maybe this expression is an adaption of the idea behind Proverbs 18:10.
The name of the LORD is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.
Proverbs 18:10
New International Version
Unless you were in some kind of distress, you might not need to run to a fortified tower. But how else will we learn Jesus is all we need if we’re constantly relying on ourselves?
I remember several years ago I was feeling like I lost everything. No, I didn’t literally, but it sure felt like it. Short version? We’d moved to plant a church. It didn’t work. The money we’d lived on from the sale of our house would never be paid back by a closed church.
In many ways, it seems like Jesus was all we had. And dear one—don’t miss this—it was then I realized Jesus was really all that was needed.
We needed to run to a “fortified tower.” We needed a refuge. I needed to believe the Lord would use me again.
There was nowhere to run but to Him.
Now let me be really transparent here: I wouldn’t wish for anyone to go through what we did in order for you to learn that lesson. Yet, I don’t know if we would have learned it any other way. It’s not that we’re all that stubborn, but if you never get to a point where you can’t rely on yourself and sheer willpower, you don’t get many opportunities to simply rest in the Lord for everything.
The issue here is not whether or not we will go through challenging times as Christians. We will. There will be valleys. There will be trials. There will be tribulations. That’s not the issue.
The issue is what are you and I going to do when we’re there. If an “ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” then we’d be wise to prepare now for what we will do then.
Part of this is knowing who He is. The Lord is a tower of strength and He serves as our refuge.
Jesus said in Matthew 11:29 (NIV) “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”
“Rest for your souls…” Doesn’t that sound great? Do you need that today? Run to the Lord. You are safe there.
Sing His praises. Investigate the oasis of His Word. Pray to Him. Stay in His presence.
Run to Him and be safe.
Life Meets Theology 
Joel this been so helpful I am-going to read this every day I have been so sacred for me and my family I am 87 years old and I don’t what I would do if I or one of my family would come down with this virus I read what your body goes through and it so scary
I do truly hope it helps. The Lord calls us to faith and faith is moving forward when we will only understand in reverse.
Very helpful to me.when you get old and live alone you have a lot of time to think.but the Lord has always been with me I trust him for everything in my life.without Jesus we have nothing.