Oh Captain, My Captain

For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.  – Hebrews 2v10 

O Captain my Captain! our fearful trip is done,
The ship has weathered every rack, the prize we sought is won,
The port is near, the bells I hear, the people all exulting,
While follow eyes the steady keel, the vessel grim and daring;
But O heart! heart! heart!
O the bleeding drops of red,
Where on the deck my Captain lies,
Fallen cold and dead. 

Thus begins Whitman’s classic poem about Abraham Lincoln the American ship of state. The nation had endured a bloody civil war, but now it was over, the trip was over and the ship of state was calling into port to the adulation of the masses. 

There was tragedy on deck – the captain who had led them on the journey lay dead, cold and lifeless. The one who had guided the ship had done so bravely, but did not make it home. 

It is a beautiful and sentimental poem, but is melancholy. There was joy in he victory, but sadness at the captain’s death. 

As believers we also have a captain. Jesus was made the captain of our salvation. Like Lincoln in the poem His captaincy involved suffering and death. But there is a difference, when our journey is over and we sail into our heavenly port our captain is alive and well. Lincoln could conquer and enemy, but he could not conquer death. Our captain, Jesus, will conquer all enemies and all foes, including death. Because our captain conquered it there is now nothing for us to fear! Maybe we can tweak the first stanza of Whitman’s poem to speak of our captian. 

O Captain my Captain! our fearful trip is done,
The ship has weathered every rack, the prize we sought is won,
The port is near, the bells I hear, the people all exulting,
While follow eyes the steady keel, the vessel grim and daring;
But O heart! heart! heart!
O the bleeding drops of red,
Where on the deck my Captain lives
Victor though once dead!