Marla Swoffer
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The Princess and the Goblin and the Bible

2/21/2013

3 Comments

 
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So since I've failed to have a consistent Bible reading plan for...oh, a number of years...I had hoped to try afresh with the start of the church year, but it didn't happen until the advent of Lent (pun intended), at which point I began following the daily office of the Book of Common Prayer, which takes you through the Bible in two years in a sequential fashion - not in order or chronologically, but through three books of the Bible at a time with each day having a passage from the Old Testament, the Gospels, and an Epistle. It also has several psalms (think it takes you through them twice). Thematically, the readings are patterned after the seasons of the liturgical calendar. The idea is to read the Word morning, noon, and night, but I usually just do it in the mid-afternoon when my children are having quiet time in their rooms, and if I miss that, then right before I go to sleep, or if I miss that, then two days' worth at once (which is what's happened this week).  I haven't yet worked in the psalms, but I'm hoping to read one in the morning and one at night. 

Today I read in Deuteronomy and Hebrews about belief vs. unbelief (God's faithless and unfaithful chosen people) , and then Jesus' words in John 3 about baptism and spiritual rebirth...fast forward to tonight when I read The Princess and the Goblin by George MacDonald (C.S. Lewis' favorite author) to my daughters, the chapter was all about belief /unbelief - including the truth that even seeing isn't always believing, and it used the imagery of baptism - the princess submersed in a a magical bath that cleanses and renews her, inducing a peaceful sleep. As we were discussing the Christian symbolism (really the first time it's been obvious and we're pretty deep into the book) of believing the gospel, dying to our sinful self, and becoming born again, which baptism represents, I suddenly realized it was all so evident to me because I had just read it in the Bible!  Yet another divine serendipity...
3 Comments
Elizabeth link
3/4/2013 11:16:37 am

I love this story! George MacDonald was brilliant! Have you read the Light Princess? That one is my favorite.

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Literary Mom link
3/6/2013 11:25:43 am

Yes, I have a collection of his fairy tales, and I like that one as well...though my favorite is Little Daylight.

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Megan link
3/16/2015 08:32:57 am

What lovely Providence! I love it when the Lord weaves together His Word with anything else in our day. I'm a big fan of the Light Princess, too, though I just reviewed Faerie Gold which begins with Little Daylight. :-)

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