I walk leaving footprints

For you to wipe away

For you to overcome.

How worthless I feel

Compared to you His mass creation

Compared to your power.

You are waves crashing in

Black as the night

Blue as the sky.

Reminder of how weak I am

How silent my praise

How small my mind!

Swiftly I’m reminded

That you are God’s creation

And so am I.

O ocean you remind me of His ways

Endless and eternal

Cleansing and strong.

As your waves sweep the shore

In a rhytym God ordained

You never question, “Why?”.

I crave God’s redemption & grace

To purge as powerfully in my heart

To accept without asking, “Why?”.

Tybee Island, November 1984

First glimpse of you ocean creation

Black and white against black sky.

I wade in, jeans and all

Awed by God’s gift

Laughing with sheer joy.

Surely this is what God meant

That perfect love casts out all fear

I laugh in sheer joy.

You are an ocean

He is God the Creator

I am what He has made.

-faye

Footnote:  Even living in Alabama with Gulf Shores within easy driving distance the first time I saw the ocean I was a junior in college and it was pitch black outside.  I was on a S.P.O.T.S. (Special Projects Other Than Summer) Mission Trip, my first experience with mission work and for whatever reason Uncle Bert drove us out to Tybee Island where I got my first glimpse of the ocean.  It sounded huge.  Tide was high.  The waves were black, the foam white and I waded knee deep in those waters so excited I astonished those with me.  I’ve seen the ocean many times since then but I’ll never forget this first time.