Speaking of prayer and orphan care, who better exemplifies these than George Muller? To this day, he is recognized as a giant among faith-filled believers. This 19th century missionary and pastor spent his adult years SEEKING GOD ONLY for the means to support himself and his family, as well as those under his ministry.
Perhaps he is most well known for his work with orphans and his dependence on the Lord’s provision for every need, including their daily bread. And the most recognized story of his ministry? One morning, as there was nothing to feed the many orphaned children in his care, he gathered them around anyway and asked the blessing on their breakfast, believing that it would be provided. At that moment, an unsolicited knock came at the door…and there stood the baker with enough fresh bread to feed everyone in need! Yes, that is faith, and that is the faith that Muller implemented daily.
As I mentioned, Muller’s sole means of providing for his charges was prayer. He set forth 11 arguments in prayer for the orphan work, which he had undertaken:
The arguments which I plead with God are:
1. That I set about the work for the glory of God, i.e., that there might be a visible proof, by God supplying, in answer to prayer only, the necessities of the orphans, that He is the living God, and most willing, even in our day, to answer prayer: and that, therefore, He would be pleased to send supplies.
2. That God is the "Father of the fatherless," and that He, therefore, as their Father, would be pleased to provide (Psalm 68:5).
3. That I have received the children in the name of Jesus, and that, therefore, He, in these children, has been received, and is fed, and is clothed; and that, therefore, He would be pleased to consider this (Mark 9:36, 37).
4. That the faith of many of the children of God has been strengthened by this work hitherto, and that, if God were to withhold the means for the future, those who are weak in faith would be staggered; whilst, by a continuance of means, their faith might still further be strengthened.
5. That many enemies would laugh, were the Lord to withhold supplies, and say, "Did we not foretell that this enthusiasm would come to nothing?"
6. That many of the children of God, who are uninstructed, or in a carnal state, would feel themselves justified to continue their alliance with the world in the work of God, and to go on as heretofore, in their unscriptural proceedings respecting similar institutions, so far as the obtaining of means is concerned, if He were not to help me.
7. That the Lord would remember that I am His child and that He would graciously pity me, and remember that I cannot provide for these children, and that therefore He would not allow this burden to lie upon me long without sending help.
8. That He would remember likewise my fellow labourers in the work, who trust in Him, but who would be tried were He to withhold supplies.
9. That He would remember that I should have to dismiss the children from under our Scriptural Institution to their former companions.
10. That He would show that those were mistaken who said that, at the first, supplies might be expected while the thing was new, but not afterwards.
11. That I should not know, were He to withhold means, what construction I should put upon all the many most remarkable answers to prayer which He has given me heretofore in connection with this work, and who most fully have shown to me that it is of God.
It’s easy to think that someone called to ministry should be expected to be of greater faith than the rest of us. And while it is possible that Muller was given a greater portion of faith for his work (perhaps it was even his spiritual gift), the rest of us are required to exercise our own faith as well. Could we take Muller’s arguments and apply them to our circumstances? Here’s my attempt:
When our individual lives and ministries are turned toward the glory of God, our prayers will be offered in submission to His will. He is still the living God who desires to answer prayer—thus, we must believe that He can and will provide for our needs. Further, He is our Father, and He desires to provide good things for His children as we seek His Kingdom (Matthew 7:7-11).
The Lords knows we can’t provide for our needs very well. He is kind and will give us what we need when we need it…and often in abundance.
We don’t live in a vacuum—our lives and God’s work in them are a witness to others. God’s provision can be a means to strengthen the faith of others, and His continuing provision is a witness to those who believe God is too small or too busy to complete the work He began.
Young Christians, whose faith is still growing, may be trying to meet needs in the old way—by depending on themselves and only the supplies that are readily available (or perhaps obtainable through less-than-honest means). They would be challenged to grow in their faith by the experience of seeing what God will do when He is invited to be the Source of provision.
Sustenance from God puts scoffers to shame. Our faith and submission to the form of His provision is yet another testimony to unbelievers.
He knows that our lives intertwine with other lives. One person’s hardship may lead to another’s as well. God is gracious and kind, and He blesses us so we may in turn bless others.
If He has called us to a ministry and we don’t have the means to continue the ministry, then those to whom we minister may be abandoned. He will provide for a ministry He wishes to continue. If God can miraculously supply our needs early in our ministries in order to communicate the direction of His will, we can believe that He could continue to do so. Why expect limitations on His gifts if the ministry is His idea?
Now, I am not saying that every provision must appear in a miraculous way or that God must always give exactly what we ask for when we request it. He holds ordinary events in His hands, and He sees situations with a clarity we cannot fathom. God is bigger than our myopic expectations. His plan for our lives and ministries is woven together with the plans He has set in place for generations of His children.
Our role is simply to ask for His supply, according to His will, and then wait in faith with expectation that He will show Himself mighty.
His answer may be an unexpected stock of groceries at our front door when we have a household of hungry children and no money for life’s necessities. Or His answer may come more practically, more “normally,” and it may take us a moment to realize God’s hand is in the mundane as well as the miraculous.
