George MacDonald’s (1824-1905) initial foray into preaching was short-lived. His congregation complained that his preaching was overly imaginative and not dogmatic enough, so much so that he resigned after three years and took up writing, specializing in fantasy literature and children’s stories.
We have MacDonald to thank for influencing C.S. Lewis to explore a life of faith. After reading MacDonald’s fantasy novel Phantasies, Lewis remarked, “I knew I had crossed the great frontier” in his evolution from atheism to belief.
MacDonald composed a book of 366 poems for use in daily meditation and prayer. Each poem was composed in seven stanzas with three sets of rhyming verses and a solitary punchline at the end. He intended each poem to appear on the left side of the page while leaving the right side blank for readers to add their reflections and prayers. The book was never published during his lifetime. It first appeared in print in 1965 and has steadily gained popularity in recent years. While adjusting to MacDonald’s Scottish style takes time, his deep spirituality and prayerful insights are worth the effort. The Book of Strife in the Form of a Diary of an Old Soul, as he titled it, was an intimate look into MacDonald’s longings, joys, and struggles in everyday life. He was no stranger to hardship. His mother and two of his brothers died during his childhood. He struggled with chronic emphysema and periodic bouts of depression. Four of his children preceded him in death, yet he remained remarkably upbeat and resilient about faith.
Today’s prayer is taken from his entry for January 10th: