There are
other points on which I would be glad to point out what is to be found in Mr.
Muller's narrative, but one more must suffice. It is the lesson of firm
and unwavering trust in God's promise as the secret of persevering prayer.
If once we have, in submission to the teaching of the Spirit in the word,
taken hold of God's promise, and believed that the Father has heard us, we must
not allow ourselves by any delay or unfavourable appearances be shaken in our
faith.
`The full answer to my daily prayers was far from being
realized; yet there was abundant encouragement granted by the Lord, to continue
in prayer. But suppose, even, that far less had come in than was received,
still, after having come to the conclusion, upon scriptural grounds, after much
prayer and self-examination, I ought to have gone on without wavering, in the
exercise of faith and patience concerning this object; and thus all the children
of God, when once satisfied that anything which they bring before God in prayer,
is according to His will, ought to continue in believing, expecting, persevering
prayer until the blessing is granted. Thus am I myself now waiting upon
God for certain blessings, for which I have daily besought Him for ten years and
six months without one day's intermission. Still the full answer is
not yet given concerning the conversion of certain individuals, though in the
meantime I have received many thousands of answers to prayer. I have also
prayed daily without intermission for the conversion of other individuals about
ten years, for others six or seven years, for others from three or two years;
and still the answer is not yet granted concerning those persons, while in the
meantime many thousands of my prayers have been answered, and also souls
converted, for whom I had been praying. I lay particular stress on this
for the benefit of those who may suppose that I need only to ask of God, and
receive at once; or that I might pray concerning anything, and the answer would
surely come. One can only expect to obtain answers to prayers which are
according to the mind of God; and even then, patience and faith may be exercised
for many years, even as mine are exercised, in the matter to which I have
referred; and yet am I daily continuing in prayer, and expecting the answer, and
so surely expecting the answer, that I have often thanked God that He will
surely give it, though now for nineteen years faith and patience have thus been
exercised. Be encouraged, dear Christians, with fresh earnestness to give
yourselves to prayer, if you can only be sure that you ask things which are for
the glory of God.
`But the most remarkable point is this, that £6,
6s. 6d. from Scotland supplied me, as far as can be known now, with all the
means necessary for fitting up and promoting the New Orphan Houses. Six
years and eight months I have been day by day, and generally several times
daily, asking the Lord to give me the needed means for this enlargement of the
Orphan work, which, according to calculations made in the spring of 1861,
appeared to be about fifty thousand pounds: the total of this amount I had
now received. I praise and magnify the Lord for putting this enlargement
of the work into my heart, and for giving me courage and faith for it; and above
all, for sustaining my faith day by day without wavering. When the last
portion of the money was received, I was no more assured concerning the whole,
that I was at the time I had not received one single donation towards this large
sum. I was at the beginning, after once having ascertained His mind,
through most patient and heart-searching waiting upon God, as fully assured that
He would bring it about, as if the two houses, with their hundreds of orphans
occupying them, had been already before me. I make a few remarks here for
the sake of young believers in connection with this subject: 1. Be
slow to take new steps in the Lord's service, or in your business, or in your
families: weigh everything well; weigh all in the light of the Holy
Scriptures and in the fear of God. 2. Seek to have no will of your
own, in order to ascertain the mind of God, regarding any steps you propose
taking, so that you can honestly say you are willing to do the will of God, if
He will only please to instruct you. 3. But when you have found out
what the will of God is, seek for His help, and seek it earnestly,
perseveringly, patiently, believingly, expectantly; and you will surely in His
own time and way obtain it.
`To suppose that we have difficulty about
money only would be a mistake: there occur hundreds of other wants and of
other difficulties. It is a rare thing that a day occurs without some
difficulty or some want; but often there are many difficulties and many wants to
be met and overcome the same day. All these are met by prayer and faith,
our universal remedy; and we have never been confounded. Patient,
persevering, believing prayer, offered up to God, in the Name of the Lord Jesus,
has always, sooner or later, brought the blessing. I do not despair, by
God's grace, of obtaining any blessing, provided I can be sure it would be for
any real good, and for the glory of God.
1 The
extracts are from a work in four volumes, The Lord's Dealings with George
Muller. J. Nisbet & Co., London.
Public Domain [Copy Freely]