Going Deeper in the Business of Life

One of my all-time favorite worship songs is "Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)" by Hillsong United. I rarely get through it without shedding a few tears. One recent early morning I was feeling particularly overwhelmed by my circumstances. Sensing the Lord taking "me deeper than my feet could ever wander", I was (to put it mildly) afraid. Make that scared to death.

Thanks to a spiritual retreat almost six years ago, I learned when it comes to spiritual warfare, worship is the believer's nuclear option. So, I began exercising that option by meditating on the lyrics to my favorite worship song (see below). It didn't take long before I flashed back to my childhood and our many seaside vacations. The image of my bronze-tanned father swimming in the ocean parallel to the shoreline vividly came to mind. My Dad courageously did what I, then and now, refuse to do...swim in water with near zero visibility. Check that, what I, then and now, am afraid to do...swim in "the great unknown where feet may fail".

The Outer Banks of North Carolina are home to one of the most menacing sea creatures my young and old eyes have ever beheld --the horseshoe crab (see above). Imagine stepping on one of these heavily armored nautical beasts. As a pubescent adolescent, I not only imagined it, I was petrified at the thought. That's why I never entered the water off the Nag's Head shoreline without my trusty canvas raft underneath me and my feet safely off the bottom of the crab infested ocean.

By contrast, my father would walk into the waves, sans raft, until it was about waist deep. Then he would dive towards the horizon, swim out beyond the breakers, hang a right, and swim parallel to shore for what seemed to be an interminable amount of time. By contrast, I would watch in utter amazement while safely piddling in the tide pools on shore. How could he do that without being able to see beyond the end of his nose?

My father was brave. Perhaps he understood better than me then and now, "where feet may fail and fear surrounds me, You've never failed and You won't start now". I'm not sure, but I am sure of this. A few weeks ago, when I came humbly before the Lord asking for grace to help in my time of need, He reminded me of one thing and illuminated another I'd never understood until then. When it comes to spiritual warfare, worship is your nuclear option. And, when facing a future with zero visibility, don't focus upon that which you cannot see. Rather, focus upon Him who can always see you. And then, allow Him to lead you to a place where your "trust is without borders".

Oceans (Where Feet May Fail) 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

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 Saviour

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

Oh, Jesus, you're my God!

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