Dancing on the Waves

He stretched forth his hand o’er the water
And bade me come dance on the waves
With nothing at all to sustain me
But the love that heals me and saves.

My Lord, I did long to embrace him
As he called to me o’er the sea
And my heart long sore
From the burdens I bore
Did burn with desire to be free!

So out of the bark I did leap
Eager to grasp my Lord’s hand
And lo, the waves did uphold me
As if water had turned into sand.

But then rough gales began to blow
And fear rose up in my throat
And my eyes did stray
From the Lord’s way
To the safety of my boat.

Now darkness and doubt did assail me
Recalling all I had lost
While the travails that still lay before me
Made me shudder to think of their cost.

So I hardened my heart ‘gainst my Lord,
Turning from him to me,
Till weighted down by fear and woe
Lo, I sank ‘neath the ravening sea!

But a hand reached out to grasp me
Just as hope was nearing its end
And from deathly waters he drew me,
This fool who’d turned from his friend.

Not a word—
But a look that said, “Could you not trust?”
Moved my cowardly heart to grieve,
Because in that turning from him to me
I knew I’d ceased to believe –

Believe that he loved me more than life
That for me he’d willingly die,
Believe there’s forgiveness to salve every sin
As sure as the sun’s in the sky.

Fool that I was to count the cost,
Fool to think that some earthly reward
Could outweigh the joy of my knowing him
Who is my Life and my Lord.

Now as I gaze upon his face
And dawn’s light fills the sky
The love that I see
When his eyes rest on me
Proves there’s none more blessed than I.

One day I shall walk on the water
One day I shall dance on the waves
Embraced by my Friend and my Master
Whose love alone heals me and saves.