A Bruised Reed Shall He Not Break -Christina Rossetti (1830-1894)

I will accept they will to do and be,

Thy hatred and intolerance of sin,

Thy will at least to love, that burns within

And thirsteth after Me:

So I will render fruitful, blessing still

The germs and small beginnings in thy heart,

Because thy will cleaves to the better part, -

Alas, I cannot will.

Dost not thou will, pour soul? Yet I receive

The inner unseen longings of the soul,

I guide them turning towards Me; I control

And charm hearts till they grieve:

If thou desire, it yet shall come to pass,

Tho' thou but wish indeed to choose My love;

For I have power in earth and heaven above. - 

I cannot wish, alas!

What, neither choose nor wish to choose? and yet

I still must strive to win thee and constrain:

For thee I hung upon the cross in pain,

How then can I forget?

If thou as yet dost neither love, nor hate,

Nor choose, nor wish, - resign thyself, be still

Till I infuse love, hatred, longing, will. -

I do not deprecate.

-Christina Rossetti (1830-1894)

This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah: “Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved with whom my soul is well pleased. I will put my Spirit upon him, and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles. He will not quarrel or cry aloud, nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets; a bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not quench, until he brings justice to victory;
(Matthew 12.17-20 ESV)