--- title: "9 Good thing Quotes By George MacDonald" description: "9 Good thing quotes by George MacDonald. Plus more from George MacDonald and more Good thing sayings from other authors." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/676/george-macdonald-295_good-thing_to-receive-honestly-is-the-best-thanks-f_756260.png" --- > [To receive honestly is the best thanks for a good thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/to-receive-honestly-is-the-best-thanks-for-a-good-thing/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/676/george-macdonald-295_good-thing_to-receive-honestly-is-the-best-thanks-f_756260.png) > [Never be discouraged because good things get on so slowly here; and never fail daily to do that good which lies next…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/never-be-discouraged-because-good-things-get-on-so-slowly-here-and/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/930/george-macdonald-295_discouraged_never-be-discouraged-because-good-things_3088427.png) > [LET A MAN THINK AND CARE ever so little about God, he does not therefore exist without God. God is here with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/let-a-man-think-and-care-ever-so-little-about-god-he-does-not/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/35e/george-macdonald-295_care_let-a-man-think-and-care-ever-so-little_116027.png) > [What a good thing, for instance, it was that one princess should sleep for a hundred years! Was she not saved from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/what-a-good-thing-for-instance-it-was-that-one-princess-should-sleep/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/10c/george-macdonald-295_awake_what-a-good-thing-for-instance-it-was-th_78338.png) > [One of the good things that come of a true marriage is, that there is one face on which changes come without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/one-of-the-good-things-that-come-of-a-true-marriage-is-that-there-is/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/979/george-macdonald-295_50th-wedding-anniver_one-of-the-good-things-that-come-of-a-tr_88634.png) > [“Do you really suppose God cares whether a man comes to good or ill?" "If He did not, He could not be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/do-you-really-suppose-god-cares-whether-a-man-comes-to-good-or-ill-if/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a45/george-macdonald-295_afterlife_do-you-really-suppose-god-cares-whether_2776819.png) > [“Remember, if indeed thou art able to know it, that not in any church is the service done that he requires. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/remember-if-indeed-thou-art-able-to-know-it-that-not-in-any-church-is/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/73e/george-macdonald-295_art_remember-if-indeed-thou-art-able-to-know_3166302.png) > [“Then came the reflection, how little at any time could a father do for the wellbeing of his children! The fact of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/then-came-the-reflection-how-little-at-any-time-could-a-father-do-for/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e5/george-macdonald-295_children_then-came-the-reflection-how-little-at-a_2300646.png) > [“It is terrible to represent God as unrelated to us in the way of appeal to his righteousness. How should he be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/it-is-terrible-to-represent-god-as-unrelated-to-us-in-the-way-of/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e40/george-macdonald-295_children_it-is-terrible-to-represent-god-as-unrel_733710.jpg) ## Other authors on Good thing ## 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/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "ItemList", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-thing/george-macdonald/#itemlist", "name": "9 Good thing Quotes By George MacDonald", "numberOfItems": 9, "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "To receive honestly is the best thanks for a good thing.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "George MacDonald" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/to-receive-honestly-is-the-best-thanks-for-a-good-thing/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/676/george-macdonald-295_good-thing_to-receive-honestly-is-the-best-thanks-f_756260.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/676/george-macdonald-295_good-thing_to-receive-honestly-is-the-best-thanks-f_756260.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/676/george-macdonald-295_good-thing_to-receive-honestly-is-the-best-thanks-f_756260.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“To receive honestly is the best thanks for a good thing.” — George MacDonald", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Never be discouraged because good things get on so slowly here; and never fail daily to do that good which lies next to your hand.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "George MacDonald" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/never-be-discouraged-because-good-things-get-on-so-slowly-here-and/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/930/george-macdonald-295_discouraged_never-be-discouraged-because-good-things_3088427.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/930/george-macdonald-295_discouraged_never-be-discouraged-because-good-things_3088427.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/930/george-macdonald-295_discouraged_never-be-discouraged-because-good-things_3088427.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Never be discouraged because good things get on so slowly here; and never fail daily to do that good which…” — George MacDonald", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "LET A MAN THINK AND CARE ever so little about God, he does not therefore exist without God. 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He will spare nothing to bring His children back to himself, their sole well-being, whether He achieve it here--or there.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "George MacDonald" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/do-you-really-suppose-god-cares-whether-a-man-comes-to-good-or-ill-if/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a45/george-macdonald-295_afterlife_do-you-really-suppose-god-cares-whether_2776819.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a45/george-macdonald-295_afterlife_do-you-really-suppose-god-cares-whether_2776819.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a45/george-macdonald-295_afterlife_do-you-really-suppose-god-cares-whether_2776819.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Do you really suppose God cares whether a man comes to good or ill?\" \"If He did not, He could not be good…” — George MacDonald", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 7, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Remember, if indeed thou art able to know it, that not in any church is the service done that he requires. He will say to no man, 'You never went to church: depart from me; I do not know you;' but, 'Inasmuch as you never helped one of my father's children, you have done nothing for me.' Church or chapel is not the place for divine service. It is a place of prayer, a place of praise, a place to feed upon good things, a place to learn of God, as what place is not? It is a place to look in the eyes of your neighbour, and love God along with him. But the world in which you move, the place of your living and loving and labour, not the church you go to on your holiday, is the place of divine service. Serve your neighbour, and you serve him.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "George MacDonald" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/remember-if-indeed-thou-art-able-to-know-it-that-not-in-any-church-is/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/73e/george-macdonald-295_art_remember-if-indeed-thou-art-able-to-know_3166302.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/73e/george-macdonald-295_art_remember-if-indeed-thou-art-able-to-know_3166302.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/73e/george-macdonald-295_art_remember-if-indeed-thou-art-able-to-know_3166302.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Remember, if indeed thou art able to know it, that not in any church is the service done that he requires…” — George MacDonald", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 8, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Then came the reflection, how little at any time could a father do for the wellbeing of his children! The fact of their being children implied their need of an all-powerful father: must there not then be such a father? Therewith the truth dawned upon him, that first of truths, which all his church-going and Bible-reading had hitherto failed to disclose, that, for life to be a good thing and worth living, a man must be the child of a perfect father, and know him. In his terrible perturbation about his children, he lifted up his heart—not to the Governor of the world; not to the God of Abraham or Moses; not in the least to the God of the Kirk; least of all to the God of the Shorter Catechism; but to the faithful creator and Father of David Barclay. The aching soul which none but a perfect father could have created capable of deploring its own fatherly imperfection, cried out to the father of fathers on behalf of his children, and as he cried, a peace came stealing over him such as he had never before felt.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "George MacDonald" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/then-came-the-reflection-how-little-at-any-time-could-a-father-do-for/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e5/george-macdonald-295_children_then-came-the-reflection-how-little-at-a_2300646.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e5/george-macdonald-295_children_then-came-the-reflection-how-little-at-a_2300646.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e5/george-macdonald-295_children_then-came-the-reflection-how-little-at-a_2300646.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Then came the reflection, how little at any time could a father do for the wellbeing of his children! The…” — George MacDonald", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 9, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It is terrible to represent God as unrelated to us in the way of appeal to his righteousness. How should he be righteous without owing us anything? How would there be any right for the judge of all the earth to do if he owed nothing? Verily he owes us nothing that he does not pay like a God; but it is of the devil to imagine imperfection and disgrace in obligation. So far is God from thinking so that in every act of his being he lays himself under obligation to his creatures. Oh, the grandeur of his goodness, and righteousness, and fearless unselfishness! When doubt and dread invade, and the voice of love in the soul is dumb, what can please the father of men better than to hear his child cry to him from whom he came, 'Here I am, O God! Thou hast made me: give me that which thou hast made me needing.' The child's necessity, his weakness, his helplessness, are the strongest of all his claims. If I am a whale, I can claim a sea; if I am a sea, I claim room to roll, and break in waves after my kind; if I am a lion, I seek my meat from God; am I a child, this, beyond all other claims, I claim—that, if any of my needs are denied me, it shall be by the love of a father, who will let me see his face, and allow me to plead my cause before him. And this must be just what God desires! What would he have, but that his children should claim their father? To what end are all his dealings with them, all his sufferings with and for and in them, but that they should claim their birthright? Is not their birthright what he made them for, made in them when he made them? Is it not what he has been putting forth his energy to give them ever since first he began them to be—the divine nature, God himself? The child has, and must have, a claim on the father, a claim which it is the joy of the father's heart to acknowledge. A created need is a created claim. God is the origin of both need and supply, the father of our necessities, the abundant giver of the good things. Right gloriously he meets the claims of his child! The story of Jesus is the heart of his answer, not primarily to the prayers, but to the divine necessities of the children he has sent out into his universe.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "George MacDonald" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/it-is-terrible-to-represent-god-as-unrelated-to-us-in-the-way-of/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e40/george-macdonald-295_children_it-is-terrible-to-represent-god-as-unrel_733710.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e40/george-macdonald-295_children_it-is-terrible-to-represent-god-as-unrel_733710.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e40/george-macdonald-295_children_it-is-terrible-to-represent-god-as-unrel_733710.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It is terrible to represent God as unrelated to us in the way of appeal to his righteousness. How should he…” — George MacDonald", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } } ] }, { "@type": "CollectionPage", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-thing/george-macdonald/#webpage", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-thing/george-macdonald/", "name": "Good thing Quotes by George MacDonald", "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "mainEntity": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-thing/george-macdonald/#itemlist" }, "primaryImageOfPage": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/676/george-macdonald-295_good-thing_to-receive-honestly-is-the-best-thanks-f_756260.png" }, "description": "9 Good thing quotes by George MacDonald. 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