by Kirk Spencer
I was multi-tasking in my backyarddigging and listening to the radio and thinking about my Bible study. I was thinking about the darkness on the deep and the Spirit of God there hovering; about how the ancients feared the deep (the ocean). The deep came to represent danger and chaos and absurdity in life; like the chaos I was listening to on the radio, bad news all aroundas usualbut recently, more bad than usual: celebrities taking their own lives, terrorist taking whole cities, Kurdish Christians killed, barbaric butchery, babies killed, human shields, terror tunnels, street riots in mid-America; a new scandal every news cycle; and a continuous crisis of leadership. It was so depressing. I put down the shovel, went over to my vintage boombox and changed the station. I tuned to KCBI (something I do often when I need a little escape from the absurdity).
And then I had this thought.
I thought about that day on the Sea of Galilee, where the disciples were watching Jesus walking on the waves, strolling in the chaos of the deepthinking He was a spirit hoveringabout how Peter wanted to walk with Him in the midst of the absurdity. And Jesus said one word. Come. And Peter stepped out upon this word and walked on the waves with the Word of God; that is until he took his eyes off the Word. Then he went under. But Jesus was still there with him hovering. And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him He has caught me too so many times.
The One Who Calms the Waves
We may no longer fear the ocean as did the Ancients, but there is certainly chaos and danger in our deep world, growing deeper along with our media. It is easy to spend so much (too much) of our lives looking at (and listening to) the electromagnetic waves, rather than the One who can calm the waves and can catch us when we trip over them?
So I was thinking these things and moving dirt, and listening to music on the radio waves, when these beautiful lyrics filled my garden:
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
Youve never failed and You wont start now
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[1]
[Dear Heavenly Father: Walk with me in the deep. Show me how to live for You, even in the absurdity.]
[1] Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)
By Hillsong United