If you attend a contemporary worship church, chances are you’re familiar with and probably sing “Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)”. If you listen to Christian radio, you definitely know this powerful song by Hillsong UNITED. It’s a beautiful piece of music, and lines like “And I will call upon Your Name, and keep my eyes above the waves…” resonate deeply with many.
However, it’s time we had a serious conversation: we need to think deeply about what we’re singing when we sing Oceans.
Let me be clear, this isn’t a critique of Hillsong, the songwriters, or the musicians. They’ve created a truly impactful worship song, and their talent is undeniable.
This is about us, the singers, and what happens when we reach the 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, That my faith would be made stronger, In the presence of my Savior.”
Here’s the crux of the issue. When you passionately sing, asking the Holy Spirit to lead you to places where your trust knows no limits, do you truly grasp the implications? Because that request, that genuine prayer in song, might manifest in ways that challenge you profoundly. It could mean radical generosity, giving away resources when it hurts. It might look like extending compassion to the ostracized, beingfriend the person everyone else avoids. It could be answering the call to foster children, even when you feel inadequate. Or perhaps it’s taking a leap of faith in relationships, asking someone out despite your fears of rejection. It might even be boldly defending your faith in the face of ridicule, or stepping outside your comfortable social circles to connect with different communities. It could be a call to relocate – to a different country, a less privileged neighborhood, or simply choosing a different lunch table to broaden your horizons.
Singing “lead me where my trust is without borders” is a prayer to dismantle your self-imposed limitations. You’re asking to step outside your comfort zones, to push past the boundaries you’ve erected.
These borders can be:
- Economic borders: Comfortable spending habits, financial security blankets.
- Social borders: Cliques, familiar social circles, fear of judgment.
- Geographic borders: Staying within your familiar surroundings, resisting the call to move or travel for purpose.
- Religious borders: Preconceived notions, judgmental attitudes, excluding others based on differing beliefs.
- Racial borders: Implicit biases, lack of diversity in relationships, discomfort with other cultures.
Woman standing on rock looking out over ocean
The reality is, embracing a life without borders, as the song “Oceans” implores, won’t always feel good. You’re essentially singing, hands raised in worship, for God to disrupt your comfort, to challenge your status quo. Then, when that gentle nudge comes – the prompting to help someone in need, to confess a hidden struggle, to speak up about your faith – often, we hesitate. We resist.
I know I do.
And every time I sing this powerful song, “Oceans,” I’m confronted with the gap between singing the words and living them authentically.
Do you recognize this dissonance in yourself?
We readily sing these powerful lyrics in the controlled environment of a Sunday service because it evokes emotion, it feels spiritual. But are we equally willing to act when the Holy Spirit prompts us on Monday morning, when living out those lyrics becomes less comfortable and more demanding?
Venturing deeper than we’ve ever gone, beyond where our feet feel secure, inherently involves the unknown, the daunting, the uncomfortable.
What exists beyond our self-constructed borders? It’s a realm of wildness, unpredictability, and yes, potential danger.
But it’s also where true exhilaration, genuine life, and the courageous individuals God calls us to be reside.
However, if “Oceans” remains just a song we sing, and not a life we actively pursue, perhaps it’s time to pause before we sing it again.
Conversely, if you are willing to truly contemplate the lyrics, to understand the depth of your request when you sing “Oceans,” and to heed the Holy Spirit’s guidance when He calls you deeper and further than you planned, then by all means, sing with all your heart. Because you’re signing up for a journey – a beautifully messy, transformative, and ultimately rewarding journey of faith.
