"Word Wednesdays"...Oceans

If you want to read a description of "Word Wednesdays," check out this post. Just a reminder...feel free to comment and engage in friendly conversation. 

This week's post is about the song, "Oceans" by Hillsong United. Read the lyrics below, and then I'll explain why it's important to me.

"Oceans" by Hillsong United

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

[6x]
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

I will call upon Your name
Keep my eyes above the waves
My soul will rest in Your embrace
I am Yours and You are mine

Good lyrics, right? This song seems to have become the theme song for many in our church right now. This summer has been a time of transition. Many of our members moved away because God was calling them to another city. Several moved to Knoxville, TN, one moved to Cincinnati, OH, one couple moved to Camden, NJ, and another couple moved to Florida. My sister-in-law moved to Birmingham, England to be a missionary! These people were like family to me. I usually saw most of them several times a week! 

If you don't know much about CRC (Christ-Reconciled Church), let me first tell you that we are a Bible-believing, God-fearing, God-obeying church. Next, let me tell you that we are like a family. We live life together, "And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved" (Acts 2:44-47, ESV). So when people move away, it's painful and sad. When more than ten people move away all within a few months of each other, it's even harder. It helps to know that these people are following the will of God. It may not have been easy for them; I think most of them would tell you it wasn't, but they listened, and they went. 

So what does this have to do with me? Why is this song my theme song right now? For one, this summer has been hard not only because of people leaving, but because of other things going on in our lives. Trusting that God would provide what we needed when we were looking for tenants for our condo wasn't easy for me, "Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you,even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. "Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble""(Matthew 6:25-34, ESV). I struggle to want to do things on my own. I want them to happen in my time, and not God's. "Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander, and my faith will be made stronger in the presence of my Savior" (Oceans, Hillsong United). This song asks God to take us places we would normally not choose to go in order to have more faith in Him and Him alone. 

Even when I am sad about friends moving, God is still there. He wants me to lean on Him. "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" (Oceans, Hillsong United). God is always, always, always, there for us. He doesn't leave us, He doesn't move away, He is there. Turn to Him, lean on Him, trust Him wholeheartedly. I'll be here learning to do the same.