Praying in Faith With George Muller
Some Christians who lived before us experienced such faith-packed prayer lives their examples inspire and encourage us today. One was George Muller (1805-1898), a German missionary to Bristol, England who provided care for more than 10,000 orphans in his lifetime, by just praying for their needs—shelter, food, clothing!
Let me share a story from his latter years when he was traveling and speaking in other nations. Because Muller had such a close relationship with God, he fully expected his prayers to be answered. Once he was enroute to Canada by ship, when a heavy fog overtook them. The captain had remained on the bridge continuously for twenty-four hours when Muller came to tell him he had to be in Quebec on Saturday afternoon.
“Impossible,” the captain replied.
“Very well. If your ship cannot take me, God will find some other way. I have never broken an engagement in fifty-seven years. Let’s go down in the chart room and pray,” Muller answered.
The captain thought he was crazy, but nonetheless he went with Muller to pray, explaining all along how dense the fog was and how impossible the situation.
“My eye is not on the density of the fog, but on the living God, who controls every circumstance of my life,” Muller said as he knelt down and prayed a simple prayer. The captain was about to pray when Muller stopped him.
“Firstly, because you do not believe God will, and secondly, I believe God has, and there is no need whatever for you to pray about it. Captain, I have known the Lord for fifty-seven years and there has never been a single day that I have failed to get an audience with the King. Get up and open the door, and you will see that the fog has gone.”
Sure enough, when the captain looked out, the fog had lifted. George Muller was in Quebec Saturday afternoon for his speaking engagement. His secret? He knew God so intimately He knew when he was on Kingdom business, God would get him there on time.
He often spoke of God’s willingness to answer the prayers of His children when encouraging others to pray faith-filled petitions. And the challenge still stands for those of us today.
Muller Quote: “If honest of heart and uprightness before God were lacking or if I did not patiently wait on God for instruction, or if I preferred the counsel of my fellow-men to the declarations of the Word of God, I made great mistakes.”
Prayer: Thank you, Father, for those whose prayer lives give us beautiful examples of Your faithfulness in hearing and answering our prayers. Amen.
Scripture: As for me, I will call upon God…Evening and morning and at noon. I will pray, and cry aloud, and He shall hear my voice. (Psalm 55 16-17 NKJV).
Footnotes: Story in I Will Lift Up Mine Eyes, Glenn Clark, Harper Bros.,1937, p.68. Retold in Lord, I Need to Pray With Power by Quin Sherrer and Ruthanne Garlock, Charisma House, 2007, p.2.
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