"Smoke" (from George MacDonald)

For my Saturday meditation I offer this poem from the incomparable George MacDonald.* If you can, take some long moments to savor the plain simplicity and life-opening prayer.

Lord, I have laid my heart upon thy altar

But cannot get the wood to burn;
It hardly flares ere it begins to falter
And to the dark return.

Old sap, or night-fallen dew, makes damp the fuel;
In vain my breath would flame provoke;
Yet see—at every poor attempt's renewal
To thee ascends the smoke!

'Tis all I have—smoke, failure, foiled endeavor,
Coldness and doubt and palsied lack:
Such as I have I send thee!—perfect Giver,
Send thou thy lightning back.

I bring this poem-prayer today as a way to express my need for everything in my life to be an offering to God. That which is unworthy will never catch fire but only give smoke. Surely my whole life must needs be the offering and just as surely is the need for the lightning of God to purge wood, hay, stubble. It seems true we too easily offer sacrifices of Cain which are not worthy of our God. 

Today I offer myself and all I am, unworthy, even in the offering, but I offer all the same. 

"May Thy good will be done, O Lord. Thank you for the sacrifice of Christ on my behalf and for the hope of your goodness which will, in your time, make good and light and holiness of the life you have given to me."

With glad hope in the goodness and truth of Christ I pray....

*MacDonald turned to writing to support his large family. His book of Poems, Diary of an Old Soul, gives a brief poem for everyday of the year. I was surprised to learn that C. S. Lewis considered him his master. "I imagine," Lewis said, "I never wrote a thing in which MacDonald was not present." His fantasy literature includes Lillith and Phantastes. His children's story are wonderful: after I read them I felt as if I had been at the altar in a camp meeting after hearing a strong and convicting sermon. His other work includes sermons and many novels.