# What the Lord Saith explained — Poetry

> Chapter companion for Poetry by George MacDonald.

## What happens

The eldest-born speaks of trusting and loving the Father, asserting that knowing Him is essential to humanity and that life is bliss as His child. He invites all, especially the sore-hearted and little ones, to come to God.

## Themes in this chapter

### Divine Fatherhood

The chapter emphasizes trusting and loving the Father as the source of life and bliss.

### Redemption and Grace

The invitation to the sore-hearted and little ones to come to God reflects grace and redemption.

## Character check-ins

### Jesus Christ

The eldest-born who trusts the Father and invites others to come to God.

### God

The perfect glory and light, the Father who is trusted and loved.

## Key lines

> Trust my father, saith the eldest-born; I did trust him ere the earth began; Not to know him is to be forlorn; Not to love him is⁠—not to be man.

The firstborn says to trust the Father, whom he trusted before creation; ignorance of Him leads to despair, and failure to love Him is to fail at being human.

_Establishes the foundational trust and love for the Father as essential to humanity._

> He is with me; I am not alone; Life is bliss, because I am his child; Down in Hades will I lay the stone Whence shall rise to Heaven his city piled.

The Father's presence ensures I am never alone; my life is joyful because I am His child; I will place a foundation stone in the underworld from which His heavenly city will be built.

_Expresses confidence in the Father's companionship and the promise of building a heavenly city from the depths._

> Come then with me; I will lead the way; All of you, sore-hearted, heavy-shod, Come to father, yours and mine, I pray; Little ones, I pray you, come to God!

Follow me; I will guide you; all who are weary and burdened, come to the Father who belongs to both you and me; I especially ask the little children to come to God.

_A direct invitation to all, especially the weary and children, to approach God through the speaker._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_8_se/chapters/what-the-lord-saith
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_8_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_8_se/chapters