No, don’t stop singing Oceans. But before you do, read this.
We’ve all heard the song “Oceans” by Hillsong. If you haven’t: WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN HIDING? It is one of those go-to worship songs in churches. You know, the kind that gets really loud because everyone actually knows the words. The kind where you can actually keep your eyes closed the whole song without having to look at the projected lyrics. Where hands suddenly fill the air in praise. It’s easily a church favorite. Don’t get me wrong, it is a beautiful song with a beautiful message, but about a year ago I stopped singing the chorus.
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
You are probably thinking – “Haley! You are crazy! There is absolutely nothing wrong with that chorus.” You would be right. There isn’t. So why did I stop singing something that so many people find solace in?
I was scared.
Terrified really.
Scared of the lyrics to a song.
The lyrics are not just words but prayers and words of worship to my Creator – to my King. The words that we sing have meaning. They matter. Since the words hold meaning, we should understand what we are singing.
Beginning chorus:
1. “Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders.”
Summed up, you are asking to be led by the Spirit wherever the Spirit wants you to go. This has become a common prayer in church. “Lead me, Lord.” We pray to be led by the Spirit in different areas like talking to someone about our faith or to even having the Spirit lead us when we are making a big decision, such as choosing a college or career path. Don’t get me wrong, that is great! We need to be led by the Spirit.
To go where your trust is without borders means you have to be taken somewhere or put in a situation where you are not comfortable.
“Yeah Haley, I could do that. I could get uncomfortable for the Kingdom.”
You say that now, but can you say that when you are on your hands and knees crying because your best friend was just killed? Yet through it someone came to Christ because they saw your persistence of faith. Imagine your heart broken after a man has left you – a moment we as women never want to experience. Yet, through that we are able to run to Jesus and dive deeper in our relationship with Him. The song does not always equate to an uncomfortable experience such as being in a room of people you don’t know. It could look like depression, the loss of a loved one, losing your job and having to give up your lifestyle, being broken up with by the love of your life. The list goes on and on. Essentially this is what you are singing: to be taken to a place that will force your trust to grow. Trust grows when you go through hard things. Just like any other relationship this happens with God too.
2 & 3. “Let me walk upon the waters, wherever you would call me.”
We all know that walking on water is not humanly possible. Matthew 14:25-31 talks about the act of trust.
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?”
To “walk on water” means being able to trust in Jesus in a impossible situation. When Jesus says “come”, you can go to Him and that He will pull you up if you start to sink.
4. “Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander.”
Going with the whole literal oceans theme here, imagine you are walking in the shallow part of the ocean. You can see the little fish swimming around your feet yet you’re comfortable. As you start walking farther out you can’t see as much and are starting to go under the waves. Now imagine that you go even farther, farther than you would normally go. Far enough out to not be able to see any land. Are you scared yet?
Sometimes God takes us farther out than we ever intended to go. Why the heck would you pray to go deeper and farther out when you could just stay where it is safe and comfortable?
I thought that I would never sing Oceans again until I zeroed in on the last two lines of the chorus:
5 & 6 “And my faith will be made stronger, in the presence of my Savior.”
If we put our total trust in Jesus, our faith will be made stronger. By going through these inevitable life situations, you will find that God is the only hope you have. You will see that there is beauty in hitting the bottom and reaching out for Jesus to save you. That is where trust will grow. Without getting uncomfortable, it’s difficult to achieve. These last two lines are a reminder that when those situations happen you know that your faith is being made stronger and that you are in the presence of God.
So where does that leave us? Well for me, after feeling dragged through lines 1 through 4 in my own life, I was tired, hurt and lines 5 & 6 just didn’t feel like the end result had been worth it all. After time had passed, I have seen over and over again the beauty of what God did when I was living lines 1 through 4. I have seen how others have come to Christ through my pain. I have seen my faith grow tenfold because of it.
So, should you stop singing Oceans? Absolutely not. Whether you sing this song or not, those trials will come. Bad situations in life are inevitable. Do you hear me? Inevitable. The difference is, when you are going through 1-4 will you remember there is a 5 & 6 in that chorus? And that 5 & 6 is everything.