“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ Matthew 25:23
“After some months of prayer and waiting on God, a house was rented, with room for thirty children, and in course of time three more, containing in all 120 children. The work was carried on it this way for ten years, the supplies for the needs of the orphans being asked and received of God alone. It was often a time of sore need and much prayer, but a trial of faith more precious than of gold was found unto praise and honour and glory of God.
The Lord was preparing His servant for greater things. By His providence and His Holy Spirit, Mr. Muller was led to desire, and to wait upon God till he received from Him, the sure promise of £15,000 for a Home to contain 300 children. This first Home was opened in 1849. In 1858, a second and third Home, for 950 more orphans, was opened, costing £35,000. And in 1869 and 1870, a fourth and a fifth Home, for 850 more, at an expense of £50,000, making the total number of the orphans 2,100.
In addition to this work, God has given him almost as much as for the building of the Orphan Homes, and the maintenance of the orphans, for other work, the support of schools and missions, Bible and tract circulation. In all he has received from God, to be spent in His work, during these fifty years, more than one million pounds sterling.
How little he knew, let us carefully notice, that when he gave up his little salary of £35 a year in obedience to the leading of God’s Word and the Holy Spirit, what God was preparing to give him as the reward of obedience and faith; and how wonderfully the word was to be fulfilled to him: ‘Thou hast been faithful over few things; I will set thee over many things.’
Andrew Murray in “George Muller, and the Secret of His Power in Prayer” in With Christ in the School of Prayer: Thoughts on Our Training for the Ministry of Intercession (London: James Nisbet, 1887) 260.
Today marks 27 years of marriage for Jenni and me. What a blessing! We have set aside the day to be together. Good coffee, a hike, some fly fishing, and we plan to eat out later. Thanks God for all you have taught us about You and each other and the blessing of life in Christ together.
All we have experienced is “preparation for greater things” as Murray put it. It seems like every year God stretches me and then Jenni is there to support me or vice versa. One of my favorite rhythms is our twice daily walks on which we often pray together lifting up requests for others and ourselves.
The further we get on this spiritual journey called life in Christ, the more we realize that the growth happens in the waiting. That’s when we are tempted to act on our own. We must wait and trust in providence, that’s God’s provision for us. Only when we wait and trust do we grow.
Muller inspires us afresh to pray and wait and trust God with another year. To depend on God to guide us through two weddings (Sammy and Emily on 26 October 2019 and Sophie and Peter on 20 January 2020), the launching of Global Trust Partners, and so many other commitments.
We resolve to chart this course until we each hear the words, “Well done!” We will sacrifice everything so that our lives may be a generous offering. On the way we will experience moments of “sore need” but the trials of faith are only preparation for greater things. Please join us on this way.