Across The Stormy Sea
by Jacinta Teo featuring Theodore Ng
written by Jacinta Teo
produced and arranged by Joshua Lee

1.	Late in the night, You walked on the water.
They thought you were a ghost, 
their hearts filled with fear. 
But You called out to them, “Courage, it is I,”
And you said to Peter, “Come, to me.”
Then he answered Your call 
and walked on the water
but he sank when he felt the wind 
and cried out to You,

Chorus:
	“O Lord, save me, I am going down.
	I cannot come to You across this stormy sea.
	For when I look down, You’re out of my sight,
	Help me to know I am safe in Your love.”

2.	In the trials of my life that leave me paralysed,
When my troubles swell and I am overwhelmed,
You call out to me, “Courage, I am here. 
Do not be afraid. I am your God.”
Then You tell me to come to You across the water
but I sink when I feel the wind and cry out to You,

Chorus 

Bridge:
"Man of little faith, why do you doubt?
You have seen me in the miracles!
I raised the dead to life, the blind can see, 
the lame can walk.
Why do you doubt in my pow’r and love?
Is there anything beyond me?"

Final Chorus:
O Lord, I hear You. Help my little faith.
Teach me to come to You across this stormy sea,
To gaze on Your face, and walk on in faith.
You are my God, I am safe in Your arms.
Remove all my fears as I rest in Your love.

Written on 4 October 2014

Across The Stormy Sea

This song is adapted from St. Ignatius' Suscipe Prayer. And this edited version ends with the lines, "I cling to, I stand in, I fall into your promise of love." This movement from clinging to standing to falling speaks of an interior journey. 

"Clinging to" suggests a certain fear of losing, a desperation, an effort-ful grasping in our hands something that in fact cannot be grasped. It sends us almost into a frenzy, in which our gaze is narrowly fixed upon ourselves. It is a necessary beginning.

As we grow deeper in love with God, we are able to trust more in this Person we have come to know more intimately. "Standing in" suggests a static position, a kind of apprehensive in-between, perhaps a transitional moment, a point of looking at what has been and considering where then shall be our next step. Yet, there is a level of conviction that allows us to stand in that which surrounds us.

Finally, "falling into". There is an indefinite continuity, an eternal continuity. We have completely let go of the reins of control and have determinedly taken that one irrevocable step to fall - not into an abyss but into a now known Love that we have come to such a knowledge of and trust to hold us in all circumstances. Once falling, everything depends then on this Love and the only effort we make is to continue allowing ourselves to keep falling. This is where we are surrendered to the truth that we cannot quite hold anything; we can only be held by that which has always held us - God's Love. 

May we all be on our way...

Photo: Taken in Chau Son Monastery, Da Lat, Vietnam

Jacinta Teo

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