You Raise Me Up - August 15, 2021
Matthew 14:22-33
Deborah Laforet
You Raise Me Up
Let us pray. May the words from my lips and the meditations of my heart be guided by the Spirit and be words of wisdom for this today. Amen.
I’ve been reading a lot of historical fiction this summer. One series was set in England, on the shores of Cornwall and the other was set in the Highlands of Scotland. Both series feature a lot of ships, those great big 18th century ships with all the sails that people used to explore the oceans. The characters are sometimes travelling by ship, sometimes transporting cargo, sometimes the ships are blown off course in a storm and crash on a rocky shore, and sometimes the ship is attacked by pirates or enemy naval ships. These ships were the only way to travel at that time to far off shores, but there were many dangers, including sickness and starvation abroad the ship.
For some, these ships were symbols of adventure and opportunity; while for others, they were sources of income or a means of escaping to a more secure place. These large ships symbolize both security and risk, with its anchor that solidly grounds the ship, and its sails that carry them away, far from shore. There are some who would never board a ship, needing the assurance of two feet on the ground, without the shifting and moving waters beneath them. Others like to feel the wind in their hair, movement under their feet, and the sense of adventure and risk ahead.
It sometimes amazes me that both types of people can be in community together. If I imagine the people of this community and see their faces, I can see those who like to be grounded and centred, and those who like the freedom of the unknown and excitement of upcoming change. Both kinds of people and all those in between can all worship together and worship the same god, a god of assurance, stability, mystery and excitement.
The songs we sing reflect these many aspects of God. Our first hymn is one from the 16th century, written by Martin Luther, during a time when the church was going through a lot of changes. Luther described God as a mighty fortress, strong, immovable, stable, and a defence against any and all attacks. During unstable times, when life is uncertain, these are the hymns that provide assurance; assurance that God is our rock, our foundation, and our anchor.
And then we have a hymn like, “On Eagle’s Wings,” which we will sing at the end of the service. This hymn is based on psalm 91, which is a psalm of comfort and assurance. The chorus of this song is, in the words of God, “And I will raise you up on eagle’s wings, bear you on the breath of dawn, make you to shine like sun, and hold you in the palm of my hand.” This song is less about the strength and stability of God and more about the assurance of God’s presence in all situations, but especially in times of danger and times of risk. God raises us up, blows the wind in our sails, gives us a boost when we need it, and never abandons us when life gets rough.
This summer, Carolyn and I have been preaching on songs that have been suggested by the congregation. This week, Pat Freedman offered a song that is loved all over the world. It has been covered at least 125 times by different artists and has been number one on a number of song charts. “You Raise Me Up” was originally composed by Norwegian Rolf Løvland, who then asked Irish novelist and songwriter, Brendan Graham, to write the lyrics. The song was performed for the very first time at the funeral of Løvland's mother. The song has been most famous here and in the US by singer, Josh Groban, and around the world by an Irish band called Westlife.
When I asked Pat what this song meant to her, she said, “It’s hard to express how I feel when I hear it except that I think it touches my soul - the words speak for themselves.” After further thought, she explained, “This song moves me because it emphasizes that when we have faith and trust in God we can deal with and/or accomplish anything we set our minds to.”
The lyrics are quite simple:
When I am down and oh my soul so weary, and troubles come and my heart burdened be,
then I am still and wait here in the silence until you sit and wait awhile with me.
And then the chorus just gets repeated over and over again.
You raise me up so I can stand on mountains. You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas.
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders. You raise me up... To more than I can be.
Pat also suggested the bible reading that Paress read for us today, the one where Jesus tells Peter he can walk on water. In this story, Jesus comes to meet the disciples out on the sea, but not by boat. At first the disciples think they are seeing a ghost, some kind of apparition coming towards them across the water, but no, it’s their friend and teacher, Jesus, walking towards them upon the water. Peter, unsure whether he actually believes his eyes, says, “If it’s you, command me to come to you on the water.” After all, Peter and the others in the boat have seen Jesus perform many miracles up this point, so maybe if Jesus says it will be so, then Peter will also walk on water.
The text tells us that Jesus invites him to come and that Peter actually does walk upon the water. I imagine him like any toddler beginning to walk, very tentatively, eyes straight ahead on Jesus, one step at a time. But as soon as he feels the wind rise up, he becomes frightened and begins to sink. I imagine that he loses that eye contact with Jesus, maybe, in fear, looks down at the water or up at the sky, and that’s it. Down he goes.
This story illustrates both aspects of God that I’ve been talking about. Peter has confidence in Jesus. When Jesus tells him to come, Peter does, and he walks on water. Just like the song, “You raise me up to walk on stormy seas,” Peter is given the confidence and the strength be more than he can be. But then he sinks, and Jesus does not abandon him to the waters. Peter cries out, “Save me!” and Jesus immediately reaches out his hand and catches him.
At different points in our lives, we need different aspects of God. Sometimes we need to be lifted up on eagles wings, raised up to stand on mountains, given the courage and the strength to face uncertainty, the impossible, the unexpected, and the unknown. While other times, we need that mighty fortress, that heavy anchor, that keeps us grounded, helps us feel safe and comforted, finding strength in certainty and stability.
And we are blessed that God can be all of this for us, always with us, grounding us, raising us up, pushing us along, walking with us side by side, carrying us when we need to be carried.
You raise me up so I can stand on mountains. You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas.
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders. You raise me up... To more than I can be.
Thanks be to God. Amen.