February 3, 2010 12:08 PM
Sam wrote:
I was intrigued this morning with the title of this blog, and reminded me of a poem: "O Captain! my Captain! our fearful trip is done", from Walt Whitman's own pen of the poem of the same title as this blog, begins a story about a voyage that ended far too soon for "O Captain! my Captain!".
When I read the title this morning, I could not help but think about our fearful trip through life. It IS fearful, you know. We all have experienced events in our lives that have not been pleasant, even downright fearful at times. We live through sickness and death of loved ones, illnesses and injuries to our own bodies, and read and hear about atrocities world-wide. The terrible, ruthless, senseless attack on the World Trade Towers and other terrorist acts we read about daily impart fear throughout the world. As did the natural disasters like the one in Haiti. We have lived through wars between nations, battles between husbands and wives and skirmishes between each other. O Captain! my Captain!, when will our fearful trip be done?
The Whitman poem paints a picture of a voyage fraught with disaster, one through which the captain did not survive. "O the bleeding drops of red, Where on the deck my Captain lies, Fallen cold and dead." Compare this image with that of OUR Captain, the mighty Jesus. He was at the helm of a mighty ship, all creation on earth, when He produced "bleeding drops of red". Whitman wrote "O Captain! my Captain! rise up and hear the bells", as the ship struggled into port for what was to be a great celebration. Jesus DID indeed DO that.....rose up and heard the bells. He was the indestructible captain written about by Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Paul and prophesied about by Isaiah and others. The people on His ship shared in hearing the bells, seeing the flag, hearing the bugles--what the occupants of Whitman's boat heard and saw, but did it without their captain.
Jesus was not only the Captain 1987 years ago, but continues to be our Captain aboard this rackled ship we call life. We WILL get through this voyage, not because we helped to set sail, steer the rudder or hoist the masts, but simply because of the actions of our Captain. He bled red because of us. He rose from death because of us. He commands our ship today, and will through eternity.
If you feel you are struggling with anything--loss of loved ones, illnesses within your family, sins you just can't seem to put down, just remember, JESUS is in charge of our ship, and HE will pilot us to the end of our earthly voyage. And when we get there, we WILL hear the bells, see the flag and hear the bugles. Reply to this
November 24, 2010 12:00 PMsolid oak furniture wrote:
I have, over the last couple years, have been considering Jesus more and more as a rabbi, as a teacher. (I do not think that is ALL he was, however) However, I have been influenced by writers who are interested in focusing upon Jesus' teaching concerning morality and revelations of reality - with special focus upon the Sermon on the Mt and other discourses recorded in the Gospels. I'm beginning to read Jesus in a different way that has truly been enlightening. You refer to Jesus as Our Captain, I have been seeing him as my teacher or rabbi. I think he had a great deal to say about reality and our life here on earth. ...Jesus is becoming more relevant to my life than ever before. Reply to this
I was intrigued this morning with the title of this blog, and reminded me of a poem:
"O Captain! my Captain! our fearful trip is done", from Walt Whitman's own pen of the poem of the same title as this blog, begins a story about a voyage that ended far too soon for "O Captain! my Captain!".
When I read the title this morning, I could not help but think about our fearful trip through life. It IS fearful, you know. We all have experienced events in our lives that have not been pleasant, even downright fearful at times. We live through sickness and death of loved ones, illnesses and injuries to our own bodies, and read and hear about atrocities world-wide. The terrible, ruthless, senseless attack on the World Trade Towers and other terrorist acts we read about daily impart fear throughout the world. As did the natural disasters like the one in Haiti. We have lived through wars between nations, battles between husbands and wives and skirmishes between each other. O Captain! my Captain!, when will our fearful trip be done?
The Whitman poem paints a picture of a voyage fraught with disaster, one through which the captain did not survive. "O the bleeding drops of red, Where on the deck my Captain lies, Fallen cold and dead." Compare this image with that of OUR Captain, the mighty Jesus. He was at the helm of a mighty ship, all creation on earth, when He produced "bleeding drops of red". Whitman wrote "O Captain! my Captain! rise up and hear the bells", as the ship struggled into port for what was to be a great celebration. Jesus DID indeed DO that.....rose up and heard the bells. He was the indestructible captain written about by Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Paul and prophesied about by Isaiah and others. The people on His ship shared in hearing the bells, seeing the flag, hearing the bugles--what the occupants of Whitman's boat heard and saw, but did it without their captain.
Jesus was not only the Captain 1987 years ago, but continues to be our Captain aboard this rackled ship we call life. We WILL get through this voyage, not because we helped to set sail, steer the rudder or hoist the masts, but simply because of the actions of our Captain. He bled red because of us. He rose from death because of us. He commands our ship today, and will through eternity.
If you feel you are struggling with anything--loss of loved ones, illnesses within your family, sins you just can't seem to put down, just remember, JESUS is in charge of our ship, and HE will pilot us to the end of our earthly voyage. And when we get there, we WILL hear the bells, see the flag and hear the bugles.
Reply to this
I have, over the last couple years, have been considering Jesus more and more as a rabbi, as a teacher. (I do not think that is ALL he was, however) However, I have been influenced by writers who are interested in focusing upon Jesus' teaching concerning morality and revelations of reality - with special focus upon the Sermon on the Mt and other discourses recorded in the Gospels. I'm beginning to read Jesus in a different way that has truly been enlightening. You refer to Jesus as Our Captain, I have been seeing him as my teacher or rabbi. I think he had a great deal to say about reality and our life here on earth. ...Jesus is becoming more relevant to my life than ever before.
Reply to this