---
title: "1 God Owes Quotes By George MacDonald"
description: "1 God Owes quotes by George MacDonald. Plus more from George MacDonald and more God Owes sayings from other authors."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9cc/george-macdonald-295_poetry_the-grandeur-of-the-poem-is-that-job-ple_2702879.jpg"
---

> [“The grandeur of the poem is that Job pleads his cause with God against all the remonstrance of religious authority, recognizing no one but God, and justified therein. And the grandest of all is this, that he implies, if he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/the-grandeur-of-the-poem-is-that-job-pleads-his-cause-with-god/)

[George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9cc/george-macdonald-295_poetry_the-grandeur-of-the-poem-is-that-job-ple_2702879.jpg)

## More by George MacDonald

> [“No revelation can be other than partial. If for true revelation a man must be told all the truth, then farewell to revelation; yea,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/no-revelation-can-be-other-than-partial-if-for-true-revelation-a-man/)

[George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/)

> [In low theologies, hell is invariably the deepest truth, and the love of God is not so deep as hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/in-low-theologies-hell-is-invariably-the-deepest-truth-and-the-love/)

[George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/)

> [Life and religion are one, or neither is any thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/life-and-religion-are-one-or-neither-is-any-thing/)

[George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/)

> [The region belonging to the pure intellect is straitened: the imagination labours to extend its territories, to give it room. She sweeps across the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/the-region-belonging-to-the-pure-intellect-is-straitened-the/)

[George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/)

> [Come, then, affliction, if my Father wills, and be my frowning friend. A friend that frowns is better than a smiling enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/come-then-affliction-if-my-father-wills-and-be-my-frowning-friend-a/)

[George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/)

> [Ah, what is it we send up thither, where our thoughts are either a dissonance or a sweetness and a grace?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/ah-what-is-it-we-send-up-thither-where-our-thoughts-are-either-a/)

[George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/)

> [You must learn to be strong in the dark as well as in the day, else you will always be only half brave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/you-must-learn-to-be-strong-in-the-dark-as-well-as-in-the-day-else/)

[George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/)

> [“Few delights can equal the mere presence of one whom we trust utterly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/few-delights-can-equal-the-mere-presence-of-one-whom-we-trust-utterly/)

[George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/)

> [“You have tasted of death now,” said the old man. “Is it good?” “It is good,” said Mossy. “It is better than life.” “No,”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/you-have-tasted-of-death-now-said-the-old-man-is-it-good-it-is-good/)

[George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/)

> [ “I wish I had \[made that song\]. No, I don't That would be to take it from somebody else. But it's mine for all… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/i-wish-i-had-made-that-song-no-i-don-t-that-would-be-to-take-it-from/)

[George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/)

> [Past tears are present strength.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/past-tears-are-present-strength/)

[George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/)

> [Age is not all decay; it is the ripening, the swelling, of the fresh life within, that withers and bursts the husk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/age-is-not-all-decay-it-is-the-ripening-the-swelling-of-the-fresh/)

[George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/)

> [I want to help you grow as beautiful as God meant you to be when he thought of you first.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/i-want-to-help-you-grow-as-beautiful-as-god-meant-you-to-be-when-he/)

[George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/)

> [“Immeasurably imperfect it was, but false the impression could not be, for she saw with the eyes made for seeing, and saw indeed what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/immeasurably-imperfect-it-was-but-false-the-impression-could-not-be/)

[George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/)

> [Those that hope little cannot grow much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/those-that-hope-little-cannot-grow-much/)

[George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/)

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                        "text": "“The grandeur of the poem is that Job pleads his cause with God against all the remonstrance of religious authority, recognizing no one but God, and justified therein. And the grandest of all is this, that he implies, if he does not actually say, that God owes something to his creature. This is the beginning of the greatest discovery of all—that God owes himself to the creature he has made in his image, for so he has made him incapable of living without him. This, his creatures' highest claim upon him, is his divinest gift to them. For the fulfilling of this their claim he has sent his son, that he may himself, the father of him and of us, follow into our hearts. Perhaps the worst thing in a theology constructed out of man's dull possible, and not out of the being and deeds and words of Jesus Christ, is the impression it conveys throughout that God acknowledges no such obligation. Are not we the clay, and he the potter? how can the clay claim from the potter? We are the clay, it is true, but his clay, but spiritual clay, live clay, with needs and desires—and rights; we are clay, but clay worth the Son of God's dying for, that it might learn to consent to be shaped unto honour. We can have no merits—a merit is a thing impossible; but God has given us rights. Out of him we have nothing; but, created by him, come forth from him, we have even rights towards him—ah, never, never against him! his whole desire and labour is to make us capable of claiming, and induce us to claim of him the things whose rights he bestowed in creating us. No claim had we to be created: that involves an absurdity; but, being made, we have claims on him who made us: our needs are our claims. A man who will not provide for the hunger of his child, is condemned by the whole world.”",
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