A Reading Before Preaching (Leighton Ford)

The Diary of an Old Soul (George MacDonald)

While I was rummaging through a pile of books I came across this collection of daily poem/prayers from the Scottish preacher George MacDonald. I had forgotten I had it.

MacDonald was instrumental in the conversion of C. S. Lewis, who wrote “I hardly know any other writer who seems closer or more continually close, to the Spirit of Christ himself.”

These will not be to everyone’s taste, with MacDonald’s singular style. But I find they often suit my own soul.

For example on Sunday before I preached at Wee Kirk in the North Carolina mountains I read this:

“In holy things may be unholy greed.

Thou givs’t a glimpse of many a lovely thing,

Not to be stored for use in any mind,

But only for the present spiritual need.

The holiest bread, if hoarded, soon will breed

The mammon-breath, the having-pride, I find.

‘Tis momently thy heart gives out heart- quickening.”

The book I imagine is out of print, but it’s healthy stuff,worth searching out for preachers like me, and others.

Leighton Ford