42: “Love is Strength” by George MacDonald
Poetry is a nightingale that sits in the darkness and sings.
Percy Bysshe Shelley (adapted)
Our mission at the Matthew 25 Initiative is to equip and sustain Anglicans serving alongside the vulnerable. The work of justice and mercy is often wondrous and also difficult. Holding beauty, naming pain, and contending for hope is what we do at M25i.
The "For the Soul" series gifts us with poetry that offers Spirit-soaked imagination that leads to prayer as we turn our gaze and hearts to God.
Before you begin…
In Lent, we got to explore George MacDonald's novels that grappled with injustice and highlighted Christ's presence among street children and lairds. MacDonald also wrote around 800 poems in addition to his 50 novels! Below is one of the 800.
Where do you see visions of love as strength? Is it in the single moms serving their communities with whatever resources they have, or in the refugee families who pray for the violent who caused them to flee from their homes, or in children doing the simple act of inviting their friends over for food in the summer months, when they might not get adequate meals? Bring those thoughts to God, in thankfulness and in prayer.
Read this poem slowly and, if possible, out loud. Then, read it again. Listen for the Holy Spirit to speak to you through these words of hope for a power that mends and heals.
Love is Strength
By George MacDonald
Love alone is great in might,
Makes the heavy burden light,
Smooths rough ways to weary feet,
Makes the bitter morsel sweet:
Love alone is strength!
Might that is not born of Love
Is not Might born from above,
Has its birthplace down below
Where they neither reap nor sow:
Love alone is strength!
Love is stronger than all force,
Is its own eternal source;
Might is always in decay,
Love grows fresher every day:
Love alone is strength!
Little ones, no ill can chance;
Fear ye not, but sing and dance;
Though the high-heaved heaven should fall
God is plenty for us all:
God is Love and Strength!
Love bears all things, believes all things,
hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends.
1 Corinthians 13:7-8
He will not cry aloud or lift up his voice... a bruised reed he will not break, and a faintly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice.
Isaiah 42:2-3
As you read this email, who comes to mind? Forward this email to your friends who care about the vulnerable or who need encouraging words about a God who is gentle and strong. We hope that they would be encouraged to see other Anglicans who care too and know they are not alone.
Would you speak a "yes" to this work with a gift? It would really bless us.
