Stuff That Matters In Life

Most people have heard at least a little bit of the life of George Muller. He is most famous for starting an orphanage that eventually served thousands of street children in Bristol, England.

I finished reading the biography of George Muller, the easy version written for elementary age level in the “Christian Heroes: Then & Now” series, by Janet and Geoff Benge. A contemporary of  such great men as Hudson Taylor and Charles Spurgeon, and with the same kind of daring faith, Muller depended wholly on God for his financial needs. He had the policy in his ministry as a pastor and in founding the orphanage to never solicit for money, but depend on God to supply. He witnessed miracles of God providing food on the table for hundreds of children when there was nothing in the kitchen. Yet he has also suffered many disappointments in his life. His toddler son died, leaving him with one daughter. He outlived his daughter, who died in her fifties. He was widowed twice, even though his second wife was 21 years younger than him.

One and one-half million pounds (British currency) passed through the hands of George Muller, but he never amassed any fortune or luxury for himself. Whatever he had, he gave to God’s work. He helped to supply the needs of missionaries like Hudson Taylor.

Two ideas struck me about George Muller. First, Muller did what was right in obedience to God’s Word, despite any possible negative consequences to himself.  He knew it wasn’t right to take money from his father who was against him being a missionary. Without the support from his father, he had not a penny to live on. But he was willing to do the right thing no matter what the cost, with no promise from God that he would have money. When he was a pastor, he abolished the practice of congregants paying for the pews that they sit on, and instituted free will offering instead. Knowing this would drastically reduce his income as a pastor, he still acted in obedience to God’s Word.

I personally would be willing to obey God, maybe even if there was a cost, but I always have a cushion to fall back on. Can I step out without a safety net? Honestly, I don’t want to find out!

Second, Muller attests to the success of the orphanage as God’s answer to prayer. But it’s not the words of the prayer, it’s the life of the pray-er that made the difference. Muller prayed according to God’s desires to say Yes, so of course, God answered Yes. George Muller was convicted early in his Christian life that in order to know God, he has to know the Bible. So he would read the Bible completely through, then went back and read it again. He continuously read the Bible over and over again. By the time he died, he read the Bible over 200 times.

I’ve read the Bible maybe twice through. I have a lot of catching up to do.

(Here is a good read about George Muller.)