Comments on: MacDonald on prayer: Windmills, hungry children, and communion

By: Recap (Jan 31-Feb 6) « bekahcubed

Recap (Jan 31-Feb 6) « bekahcubed — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 09:02:28 +0000

[...] Quote from George MacDonald: “What if the main object in God’s idea of prayer be the supplying of our great, our endless need — the need of himself? What if the good of all our smaller and lower needs lies in this, that they help to drive us to God?” (Lord, may my every desire lead me to You, You the source, nay the reality that fills my every need.) Read more MacDonald here. [...]

By: hopeinbrazil

hopeinbrazil — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 04:16:22 +0000

Lovely quotes from George MacDonald, especially the idea that we find God in prayer (more than we find all the “answers” to our prayers).

By: Barbara H.

Barbara H. — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 15:20:58 +0000

Good thoughts — I especially like the last quote.

This reminds me, too, of a philosophy going around a few years ago that we should “demand” things of God. That seemed both arrogant and irreverent to me, but that last quote further repudiates it. God wants our fellowship with Himself, not demanding children.

By: Rebecca Martin

Rebecca Martin — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 15:02:53 +0000

I love George MacDonald; how great to open your blog and get to read some of him this morning! These thoughts are challenging and inspiring. I especially appreciate the one arguing against that great group prayer swaying God’s will. The first sentence: “A God that should fail to hear, receive, attend to one single prayer, the feeblest or the worst, I cannot believe in” . . . How could we not heed that the Bible tells us this is true? And it is such good news.

By: GretchenJoanna

GretchenJoanna — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 14:49:09 +0000

These are wonderful thoughts and metaphors from MacDonald. Thank you!

By: DebD

DebD — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 12:48:05 +0000

I cannot believe in; but a God that would grant every request of every man or every company of men, would be an evil God — that is no God, but a demon.

This reminded me of the chapter on The Grand Inquisitor in The Brother’s Karamazov. They sent Jesus away because they wanted a god who would fill their bellies.

Having changed my understanding of prayer from a litany of requests to a joining of myself to His Divine will has helped me tremendously in the past few years. Not that the requests are unnecessary, but just my understanding of having them. “not my will but Thine..”