JESUS--MASTER OF MY SOUL

Psalm 23   “The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need.  He lets me rest in green meadows; He leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength.  He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to His name.

Seventh grade—my first year in junior high school, and we were assigned to memorize one of the inspirational poems found in our literature book.  After much analysis, I chose a very famous poem, “Invictus,” written by William Ernest Henley

Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.
 
In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.
 
Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds and shall find me unafraid.
 
It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate,
I am the captain of my soul.1
 
To a thirteen-year-old, not being raised in a family who understood or taught biblical truth, this poem was inspirational:  “I’m not going to let anything get me down—not even my parents’ constant quarreling that could result in divorce!  No circumstance will make me give in, nor will I suffer fear from what I face in life.” These words became my verbal mantra, though my actions really didn’t follow along! 
 
What I didn’t understand was this.  From the age of twelve, William Henley suffered from tuberculosis of the bone, a terribly painful disease that attacks joints, causing not only stiffness but abscesses that  eventually caused Henley to lose a leg.  Being an affirmed atheist, he then had only one place to turn to in how to handle life—himself.2  He could choose to become a victim of life’s circumstances or make the choice to boldly face his future.  This is what he chose to do, as demonstrated by the words in this poem.  He states that he will be “master of his fate and captain of his soul.”
 
Now, as a Christian adult, I feel great sadness as I better understand the words written in “Invictus.”  Henley did not thank the one and only true God for creating his soul, but  gave credit to gods, entities either unknown or those to whom pagans have worshiped throughout the ages. Henley therefore had no source to rely upon for truth, but only himself.  He therefore declared that he was the master of his fate and captain of his soul.

In truth, no man is ever master of his fate—that “destiny, lot, portion, or doom meaning a predetermined state or end.  Fate implies an inevitable and usually an adverse outcome."3  Proclaiming "I am the master of my fate" is like stating I can control the weather or a volcano’s eruption. 
We never are masters of the testings life throws at us--those many curve balls, for if this were true, I know I certainly would never let anything adverse enter my life!  On the other hand, God is just the opposite!  He allows trials and testings in our lives to produce endurance: "We do know that God allows testings to build our endurance and character.  "Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing."  James 1:2-4
   
Henley also wrote that he was the captain of his soul. He did appear to recognize that the soul could be as strong and solid as rock or as shiftless as sand. He seemed to comprehend that as the captain of a ship has to steer through storms, so would he have to steer his soul throughout life; but did he understand what the soul is?  Did he understand, as George McDonald wrote, that the soul is that which makes the person?  "We don't have a soul.  We are a soul.  We have a body..."?4  And did he learn through Scripture how the soul is fed...how our souls are either lost or saved through the redeeming blood of Christ, not through our own effort?  In being an avowed atheist, the answer is "no."
 
So what was Henley actually master over and captain of, and how are we the same? The only correct answer is our choices—those responses we make to the blessings, trials, and testings that face us in life.  Will we say yea or nay to the information and circumstances presented to us,  especially to that all-important eternal decision each must ask: "Will I choose to believe God's Word promising a redeemer to save me from my sin?"
 
Will I choose to believe that it was Jesus' sacrificial blood upon the cross that redeemed me?  Will I choose to accept Him as my personal Lord, Savior, and Master?  Will I therefore choose to submit myself to Him, allowing Him to become the authority and director over my life, surrendering to His will and living in obedience to His commands? Will I allow Him to be my Master and Captain?

As Henley did not, I chose to say yea to Jesus, and I pray you have done so, too!  With that decision, I'm sure that you, as well as I, have begun to see fruit from that choice blossom in our lives.  For instance, let's look at a common human problem-- FEAR. 

When we accept Jesus as Lord of our lives, we need never fear life or fate.  Our all-knowing Father knows what will happen each moment of our lives, and He will never leave us or forsake us:

“You saw me before I was born.  Every day of my life was recorded in Your book.  Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.”  Psalm 139:16 

“Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; He will neither fail you nor abandon you.”  Deuteronomy 31:8 

Our lives become built upon trust in our awesome and incomprehensible God, our Master, who knows all and sees all; with Jesus as our Savior, we grow in love for our Father in heaven and for one another.  We become more and more perfected in the love of Christ:  “Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear.”     1 John 4:17 

What a joy it is to know that because of our Father’s love for us, we are given strength not to fear life, but to live life, not in our own power, but in the power of the Holy Spirit!  We never have to fear the need of being master of our lives!
 
As a counterpoint to “Invictus,” an early twentieth century poet , Dorothea Day, at first a humanist attracted to Henley’s views but  later becoming a Christian, wrote the meaningful poem “Conquered.”  As you read it, join with me in the joy it brings to our hearts!

“Conquered”

Out of the light that dazzles me,
Bright as the sun from pole to pole,
I thank the God I know to be,
For Christ - the Conqueror of my soul.
Since His the sway of circumstance,
I would not wince nor cry aloud.
Under the rule which men call chance,
My head, with joy, is humbly bowed.
Beyond this place of sin and tears,
That Life with Him and His the Aid,
That, spite the menace of the years,
Keeps, and will keep me unafraid.
I have no fear though straight the gate:
He cleared from punishment the scroll.
Christ is the Master of my fate!
Christ is the Captain of my soul! 5

VERSES:

Psalm 23   “The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need.  He lets me rest in green meadows; He leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength.  He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to His name.  Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for You are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me.  You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies.  You honor me by anointing my head with oil.  My cup overflows with blessings.  Surely Your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord
forever.”

Jeremiah 29:11   “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”

James 1:21  "So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls."

Leviticus 17:11  "For the life of the body is in its blood. I have given you the blood on the altar to purify you, making you right with the Lord. It is the blood, given in exchange for a life, that makes purification possible."
 
PRAYER:  Dear Father, what a joy it is to understand I do not need to rely upon my fallible self in journeying through life but can rely on You and Your Holy Spirit to guide me.  What a joy it is to know that You are my Master, my Perfect Shepherd—one who only has the best in mind for my future days, and that with You as my Master, I need not fear life.  Thank You for being my God;  thank You that when I submitted my life to Christ, He took “the wheel,”  for I only make a mess of things when I try to drive myself.  I say “yea” to you, Jesus…I am Yours forever.  Amen.
 
SONG:  “Jesus Take the Wheel” by Carrie Underwood
 
 She was driving last Friday on her way to Cincinnati on a snow white Christmas Eve
Going home to see her mama and her daddy with the baby in the backseat
Fifty miles to go, and she was running low on faith and gasoline
It'd been a long hard year
She had a lot on her mind, and she didn't pay attention
She was going way too fast
Before she knew it she was spinning on a thin black sheet of glass
She saw both their lives flash before her eyes
She didn't even have time to cry
She was so scared
She threw her hands up in the air
Jesus, take the wheel
Take it from my hands
'Cause I can't do this on my own
I'm letting go
So give me one more chance
And save me from this road I'm on
Jesus, take the wheel
It was still getting colder when she made it to the shoulder
And the car came to a stop
She cried when she saw that baby in the backseat sleeping like a rock
And for the first time in a long time
She bowed her head to pray
She said, "I'm sorry for the way
I've been living my life
I know I've got to change
So from now on tonight
Jesus, take the wheel
Take it from my hands
'Cause I can't do this on my own
I'm letting go
So give me one more chance
And save me from this road I'm on."
Oh, Jesus, take the wheel
Oh, I'm letting go
So give me one more chance
Save me from this road I'm on
From this road I'm on
From this road I'm on
Jesus, take the wheel
Oh, take it, take it from me
Oh, why, oh 6
 
Artist: Carrie Underwood
Album: Double Cream: The Best of Cream of Country
 
 
DISCLAIMER:  I am just an ordinary woman who loves Jesus, accepting Him as Savior at the age of thirty-two and digging into the Bible ever since.  How could I possibly hope to develop a heart relationship with God and trust Him with my life if I didn't know who He is?!

These devotionals are written to help you journey with Christ and grow in your heart relationship with Him.  However, it is essential that you examine my words, and those of all other "teachers," with God's Holy Word.  Therein lies the source of all truth!
 
1.  https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/51642/invictus
2.  https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&q=tuberculosis+of+the+bone
3.  https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&q=what+fate+implies
4.  https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/889692-we-don-t-have-a-soul-we-are-a-soul-we5. 
5.  https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/conquered-by-christ
6.  http://www.songlyrics.com/carrie-underwood/jesus-take-the-wheel-lyrics/