Synopsis: In this new edition of a popular classic, George MacDonald
offers a prayer for each day of the year, reflecting on some aspect of God’s
relationship with us. These simple but deep prayers continue to reveal new
meaning after many readings. Instrumental in the conversion of C. S. Lewis,
MacDonald is a writer with a deep understanding of the personal relationship between
God and the individual Christian. (from
the back of the book)
Review: I started reading these one a night, but ended up
reading them in several large chunks, mostly due to their nature. Often, several
days or even months would feel like a long poem or train of thought. I would
get caught up in their poignant beauty and palatable truth. Each prayer was
short, only a few lines, but compact with ideas to ruminant upon. I had many
that struck me hard, but my favorite prayers are as follows:
July 17
I cannot tell why this day I am ill;
But I well because it is they will –
Which is to make me pure and right like thee.
Not yet I need escape – ‘tis bearable
Because thou knowest. And when harder things
Shall rise and gather, and overshadow me,
I shall have comfort in thy strengthening
But I well because it is they will –
Which is to make me pure and right like thee.
Not yet I need escape – ‘tis bearable
Because thou knowest. And when harder things
Shall rise and gather, and overshadow me,
I shall have comfort in thy strengthening
June 20
But now the Spirit and I are on in this –
My hunger now is after righteousness;
My spirit hopes in God to set me free
From the low self loathed of higher me
Great elder brother of my second birth
Dear o’er all names but one, in heaven or earth
Teach me all day to love eternally
My hunger now is after righteousness;
My spirit hopes in God to set me free
From the low self loathed of higher me
Great elder brother of my second birth
Dear o’er all names but one, in heaven or earth
Teach me all day to love eternally
May 27
So bound in selfishness am I, so chained,
I know it must be glorious to be free
But know not what, full-fraught, the word doth mean;
By loss on loss I have several gained
Wisdom enough my slavery to see;
But liberty, pure, absolute, serene
No freest-visioned slave has ever seen.
I know it must be glorious to be free
But know not what, full-fraught, the word doth mean;
By loss on loss I have several gained
Wisdom enough my slavery to see;
But liberty, pure, absolute, serene
No freest-visioned slave has ever seen.
February 2
The worst power of an evil mood is this –
It makes the bastard self seem in the right,
Self, self the end, the goal of human bliss.
But if the Christ-self in us be the might
Of saving God, why should I spend my force
With a dark thing to reason of the light -
Not push it rough aside, and hold obedient course?
It makes the bastard self seem in the right,
Self, self the end, the goal of human bliss.
But if the Christ-self in us be the might
Of saving God, why should I spend my force
With a dark thing to reason of the light -
Not push it rough aside, and hold obedient course?
Bookmarks: 8 of 10
Awards: None
ISBN: 0-8066-2734-4
Year Published: Late 1800s (This Edition 1994)
Date Finished: 12-18-2016
Pages: 128
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