You call me out upon the waters
The great unknown where feet may fail
And there I find You in the mystery
In oceans deep my faith will stand

And I will call upon Your name
And keep my eyes above the waves
When oceans rise my soul will rest in Your embrace
For I am Yours and You are mine

Your grace abounds in deepest waters
Your sovereign hand will be my guide
Where feet may fail and fear surrounds me
You’ve never failed and You won’t start now

So I will call upon Your name
and keep my eyes above the waves
When oceans rise my soul will rest in Your embrace
For I am Yours and You are mine

Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders
Let me walk upon the waters wherever You would call me
Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander
And my faith will be made stronger
In the presence of my Savior
– Oceans (Where Feet May Fail) by Hillsong United

I keep coming back, again and again, to these lyrics after hearing them for the first time last week. I’m tempted to say that this song is an epic encapsulation of this season of my life, but really, the further I walk in it, the more I’m starting to believe that this season is like a training season for the rest of my life. It’s a time to sit in His workshop and amputate fears, sand off habits, set my focus, really root myself in Him. Not where I live, what I do or who I love. In Him alone. Because I have a strong suspicion that once this season of waiting and questions ends, whatever is next will bring with it an entirely new slot of fears and worries that will be all too tempting to fall into. This is a time, I keep thinking, to get things straight.

So no, this song isn’t about a season of trial, but about a life of faith. A faith that is pulled and stretched every day, because we get up and go out into the world each and every day. And there’s so much of God’s goodness in this song, it slits my breath. He wants us to trust Him, without borders or limitations, dropping our rules and conditions by the wayside. He’s calling us out and even if we move one minuscule step at a time, He keeps calling us on. Just a little closer. Come this way. Listen to my voice. Don’t worry about those waves. I’ve got you. And in return, He leads us into expansive beauty, expansive freedom, expansive wonder of who He is and who He made us to be.

You can look at the ocean and feel small and powerless. Or, you can look to its Master and let Him show you how to conquer it.

It’s enough to make me weep.

 

p.s. The story behind the song.