Thanks much to the
2009 movie of the same name, the poem Invictus by
late 19th century English poet William Ernest Henley has become quite popular.
Henley wrote the poem after a bout with tuberculosis led to the amputation of
his leg. With fierce determination the narrator of the poem raises his head to
his personal challenges and, with teeth gritted, declares his stubborn
resilience:
Perhaps we love this
poem because it highlights so aptly the qualities of independence,
perseverance, and individual strength. These qualities resonate with a heart
raised on values prized in much of the western world. When we face the trials
that, like a storm of wind and waves and weather, ceaselessly beat upon us we
call upon the heroic image painted by Henley. We can imagine ourselves a stone
in that storm with rock-like resilience and a stubborn unwillingness to
surrender.
However, there is a
greater power available to man than his own strength and will. Orson F. Whitney
wrote a poem called The Soul's True Captain in
which he responded, not in criticism to Henley himself, but rather to the ideal
of the indomitable man presented in Invictus.
Elder Whitney was
not the first and certainly won't be the last to speak of this great Captain of
Souls. The prophet Isaiah wrote emphatically of the Lord's strength to protect
and save Israel: "Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH
is everlasting strength" (Isaiah 26:4). The word translated in the KJV of
the Bible as "strength" comes from the Hebrew word "tsuwr"
which would more accurately be translated as stone" Thus Jesus, the
Lord Jehovah, is our everlasting Stone. Indeed, this same "tsuwr"
shows up repeatedly in the Bible.
- It was a "tsuwr" that Moses smote with his rod to bring forth water in the wilderness (Exodus 17:6).
- It was of that "tsuwr" that Moses wrote, "He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he" (Deut 32:4).
- Of this "tsuwr" Hannah, the mother of the prophet Samuel wrote, "There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God" (1 Sam 2:2).
- The psalmist wrote repeatedly about this "tsuwr" phrases like "The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower" (Ps 18:2) or "He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence; I shall not be moved" (Ps 62:6).
- And of course, when Isaiah prophesied of the destruction coming to Israel because of her rebellion against God he spoke of the one safe refuge Israel would have: "Enter into the rock ("tsuwr"), and hide thee in the dust, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty" (Isaiah 2:10).
When surrounded with
the storms of life there is strength to be found in being individually strong
and resilient. However, even the strongest stones can, through the weakness of
weathering, diminish, crumble and fall. Jesus provides for us a more solid rock
upon which, as the prophet Helaman wrote, "if men build they cannot
fall" (Helaman 5:12). While independence may provide the will to stand
against an enemy, dependence on the word, will, and wisdom of God provides the
power to stand against the Enemy. While
perseverance may keep our feet on the path, humility allows the Savior to walk
with us and, at times, even carry us. While our strength may keep us standing,
His strength lifts us to Heaven.
This Easter I honor,
reverence, and profess my love for the Captain of my
soul and the Rock of my salvation. He is the Rock of Ages in whose cleft
I can hide myself and through whose life and blood I am steadied, strengthened,
salved, and saved.
