Oceans

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

I remember so vividly standing in the chapel of Covenant College singing these words as a tear slipped down my cheek. I brushed it quickly away and shifted my gaze to the beautiful stained glass windows that surrounded me. The sun was shining brightly through the colored panes, and the faces of the people around me reflected back the bright reds, yellows, greens, and blues that made up the breathtaking artwork. There was such a sweet sense of peace and calm as I surveyed the chapel. There were prospective students like myself, struggling to make a college decision...older professors who had taught for decades and were well established in their careers...young freshman juggling heavy backpacks with the stress and excitement of a new semester evident on their faces...seniors setting out on their final semester, many unsure of what their future beyond college was going to look like. All of us were at different stages of life, yet all of us were in that chapel together, united in song for those brief, beautiful moments. All of us had different fears and anxieties weighing on our hearts, but each of us had come to cast them down before the One guiding our steps.

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

I remember feeling so overwhelmed and desperate to make "the right choice" when I was deciding which college I was going to attend. As anxiety swept over me in waves, the words of the song, "Oceans" touched my heart. I knew in that moment that God was the one in control of my future. All I had to do was keep my eyes above the waves, firmly fixed on Him. I couldn't let myself look at the doubts and fears that stormed around me.

I have definitely had more than one season in life where the waves of anxiety have come crashing down on me. It is so easy to get caught up in the chaos surrounding us that we lose sight of the One Who is in complete control of the raging winds that threaten to knock us off our feet. As unbelievable as it may seem at times, God is using them to gently guide us along the path He has planned for us. One of my favorite Gospel passages is found in Matthew 14, where Peter quite literally meets Jesus in the midst of the storm.

Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.

But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”

“Come,” he said.

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”

Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”

I love this picture so much--a grown man so full of confidence and trust, setting out upon the waves to meet his Savior. Yet when he turned away (just for a moment!) to look at the storm, his courage was swept away. He became utterly helpless and cried out in fear. Jesus' response is not at all harsh; He does not hesitate to "immediately" reach out to grab Peter's hand. The gentle rebuke that leaves his lips must have gone straight to Peter's heart. "Why did you doubt?"

Oh, Peter, how often I relate to you!! It is so easy to try to run away from the fear of the unknown as we realize how little control we truly have over our future. The steps in front of us can seem impossible at times, but we can never stop putting one foot forward-eyes fixed steadily on our Savior.

As a child I would always love to try and outrun the waves. There was something so satisfying about jumping just out of reach of the water as it lapped up onto the sand. Sometimes I would succeed, and the waves would miss my heels by the tiniest stretch of beach. Other times my feet would slip on the soft sand, and I would feel the waves surrounding me, pulling me into the water with the fierce force of the tide.

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 Saviour

There are so many waves that threaten to knock us off our feet these days. They can take the form of work or school struggles, hard family dynamics, sickness, stress, sadness, loneliness, loss, and physical or emotional pain. Yet none of these waves is strong enough to sweep us away. We may feel utterly helpless and unable to keep our heads above the water, but all we need to do is keep our eyes turned towards the One Who always has a hand reaching out for us.

The ocean is so vast, so deep, so powerful, so fierce. Yet God's love is so much greater, so much deeper, so much stronger, and so much richer. Rest in His love today, dear friends. Set your eyes upon Jesus. Reach for His outstretched hand. He won't let you fall.