There is a line of women...

We held a good WorshipSpace service last Sunday evening on Hildegard of Bingen, and we used a John Bell song, which we repeated at yesterday's and today's Heart & Mind.

I thought you'd enjoy  reading it:

There is a line of women extending back to Eve, 

Whose role in shaping history God only could conceive....

...And though, through endless ages, their witness was repressed,

God valued and encouraged them through whom the world was blessed.

Sing a song of Sarah, to laughter she gave birth,

And sing a song of Tamar who stood for women’s worth;

And sing a song of Hannah who bargained with her Lord;

And sing a song of Mary who bore and bred God’s word.

 

There is a line of women who took on powerful men

Defying laws and scruples to let life live again.

And though, despite their triumph, their stories stay untold

God kept their number growing, creative, strong and bold.

So sing a song of Shiphrah with Puah close at hand,

Engaged to kill male children, they foiled the kings’ command.

And sing a song of Rahab who sheltered spies and lied;

And sing a song of Esther preventing genocide.

 

There is a line of women who stood by Jesus’ side,

Who housed him while he ministered and held him when he died.

And though they claimed he’d risen their news was deemed suspect

Till Jesus stood among them his womanly elect.

So sing a song of Anna who saw Christ’s infant face;

And sing a song of Martha who gave him food and space;

And sing of all the Marys who heeded his requests,

And now at heaven’s banquet are Jesus’ fondest guests.