Singing Songs vs Willing Hearts
Before I jump into this one, I’ve got a few questions I’d love for you to answer.
- How many times have you come into church on a Sunday and sang the song the worship team was leading everyone in? (I think most people would say they do this every week.)
- How many times have you paid attention to what those words you were singing actually said?
- Do you ever feel like singing those songs as a true response to God causes you to worry? As in, if God really wanted me to do that, would I do it? Could I do it?
The reason I’m asking you these questions is that at one point in my life, one of my mentors challenged me to think about these types of questions. Not only that, but he asked me, if you aren’t willing to do or live in the way the song you're singing is calling you towards, should you even sing it? That question hit me pretty hard because, to that point, I had never thought about it. I mean, I’m not a good singer at all, but I love to sing praises to God. Yet, when I started thinking about worship in this light, it started making me think more about the words of the songs and the words I lifted up to my Heavenly Father. This leads me to the song I wanted to discuss this week, Oceans (Where Feet May Fail) by Hillsong United.
The Lyrics
Here’s a breakdown of the verses, chorus, and bridge. I’ll also insert a link to listen at the end of the blog.
Verse 1
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
Chorus
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
Verse 2
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
Bridge
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
Now that you’ve read through the lyrics let’s look at it a little more.
Scripture
As I listen to the song, the first thing that comes to mind from Scripture is Peter walking on water. In Matthew 14, Jesus and the disciples have had a busy day. Jesus received news that his cousin, John the Baptist, had been murdered, and He decided to take some time to be with God in their boat. As people hear about this, they begin following the boat along the shore. Jesus, having compassion for the people, takes the disciples and begins healing those who are sick. Not only that, but it says that He goes on to feed the crowd of over five thousand instead of sending them to find their own food, with just five loaves of bread and two fish. From here, Jesus tells the disciples to head out on the boat as he dismisses the crowd, and this is where the song hits home.
As the disciples are out on the boat, the winds begin to pick up, and I can only imagine that they are causing worry and concern for the disciples. While this isn’t stated in the passage, these are thoughts I feel would be running through their minds. How will we get through this? Where is Jesus? How will He find us? Will these winds ever let up? Are we even going to make it through the night? Then, in the midst of the storm, they see something in the distance. It appears to be a person coming towards them, but the person doesn’t have a boat. He’s literally walking on the water! This is impossible! Our feet are not made to keep us floating on water, so how is this happening? The disciples assume it must be a ghost and they cry out in fear, to which Jesus calls out to them that it’s Him and not to be afraid. Of course, Peter, being who he is, cries out, Lord, if it’s you, tell me to come to you on the water (Matthew 14:28, NIV). Jesus’ response was one simple word.
Come.
After seeing everything Jesus had done earlier that day, Peter let his faith be stretched—not just into a space that he thought he could handle but into a space that was an impossibility—something so crazy that it could cost him his life. You probably know what happens next, but just in case, let’s recap.
Peter steps out of the boat. Eyes fixed completely on Jesus. As his foot settles down on the water, he walks forward. Step after step. As the wind and waves crash around him, he continues forward towards his Savior. Then, in a moment, he begins to notice the wind and waves, and as he takes his eyes off Jesus, he immediately sinks. What do you think Jesus’ response was? Did he let him drown? No. His response was to reach out to catch Peter and ask him, Why did you doubt me? As Jesus took Peter back to the boat, the wind and waves died down, and it says that everyone in the boat worshiped.
You and I
Let’s get back to the song. Verse one pointed to the calling to go deeper into our faith and be stretched in our lives. Just like Peter, as Christians, God is calling us to draw closer to Him. Not just in the way we read the Word or spend time in prayer but also in faithfully stepping out in action. Sometimes into situations we don’t understand or can’t comprehend. As we do so, we are reminded in the chorus to keep our eyes focused on Him. To not be overwhelmed by the dangers or fears surrounding us but to be completely locked in on Him as we walk into the path He’s laid before us. It’s in this where He will give us His peace that surpasses all understanding (Philippians 4:6-7). In the second verse, we’re reminded that His Grace is sufficient for us. Not only that, but He will be there to guide us, hand in hand. As our fears and doubts try to overwhelm us, He is faithful. He always has been, and He always will be. It doesn’t mean everything will work out how we want. It means it will work out how He needs it to; we just need to keep focused and trust Him.
Lastly, the bridge. This is the part that gets me. It’s the response that, to me, is the scariest part to sing and truly mean. It’s a request for God to allow the Holy Spirit to move and stretch us, not to our safe spaces but to the places that would cause us to lean in on Him the most.
On top of that, to take me deeper than my feet, carry me on my own. All so my faith in You would be stronger than it ever has been. Have you ever thought about any of this? Usually, our first response is to be bailed out. To have our problems, struggles, doubts, fears, concerns, and weaknesses to be taken away. These lyrics aren’t a cry for that. They’re a cry to be molded into the work He wants us to be. And just like a clay pot is made through the potter working and contorting the putty before placing it into the fire to harden, we often need to be worked and tested by the fire before we can understand how the depth of His love and grace in our lives.
Closing Thoughts
I’ll leave you with this. What is God speaking to you? How has He been trying to get you to step out of your comfort zone and to a place of complete reliance on Him? Now that you’ve thought about it in this light, does it change the way you would sing this song? Listen to the song, and as you do, let Him search your heart and focus on the depths He’s calling you to walk into.
