Sometimes my heavenly Daddy speaks to me through songs.
When a dear friendship began to change, it was One Thing Remains, the Kristian Stanfill version. (Look at me, sounding like I know what I’m talking about when it comes to music! This is not common; I’m going to enjoy riding this wave while it lasts.) This song came on the radio three times in the space of an hour and a half during an emotional drive.
Constant in the trial and the change,
One thing remains
Your love never fails, it never gives up, it never runs out on me
When I was struggling to submit to Gods will for my summer plans, trying to decide between attending Summer Beach Project with Campus Outreach or pursuing internships that would boost my thesis and my resume, it was Middle of Your Heart by For King and Country.
This is where it begins
This is where all the worry ends
This is where I say I don’t need to have control
This is what I believe:
That if I give you my everything,
I will become who I was really born to be
For the past few months, as I’ve gone through A LOT of processing and praying about the World Race, the song on my heart has been 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
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
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
The song is inspired by the story of Peter stepping out of the boat to walk upon the water to Jesus. It perfectly captures my prayer for the World Race: my desire to follow the Lord’s will, to have a faith that will take irrational risks, to be pushed beyond my limits so that I may know Jesus. I want borderless trust, invincibly strong faith. I want to be in the center of God’s will, in the presence of my Savior, knowing that he’ll catch me if I fall.
Do you see the progression and aftermath of the Gospel in these lyrics? Compelled by Jesus love for me, I’m letting go of control, following his call one step at a time: away from safety, security, comfort–and into his heart.
But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ: the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. I want to know Christ: yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.
Philippians 3:7-11
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?
Matthew 14:27-31