George Muller (1805-1898) prayed about everything. He claimed to be a regular guy who believed with all his heart that God truly answers prayer. George and his wife Sarah opened their home to orphans living in the streets of Bristol, England. They opened five orphanages over the course of their lives, caring for ten thousand orphans. One morning, there was no food left in the first orphanage they opened. George and Sarah still gathered the three hundred children at tables to thank God for breakfast. There was a knock at the door. It was the local baker who had a dream about baking bread for the orphanage and decided to act on it. As soon as the baker left the bread, the milkman showed up at the door. His milk cart had lost a wheel so he decided to give the milk to the orphanage so it wouldn’t spoil. My cynical self wondered whether this story could possibly be true. Maybe it’s the stuff of internet folklore. Nope. The story checks out in reputable sources. George Muller lived ninety-two years with the resolute conviction that God answers prayer. Even prayers that were not answered in the manner he prayed were answered God’s way. He never asked people for money to support his five orphanages. He prayed about their needs and left the results to God.
Sometimes, I need to be brought back to square one. God answers prayer, even in ways that surprise or disappoint me. George built the first orphanage in 1849 to accommodate three hundred children. As he contemplated a second home to provide for growing numbers of orphaned children, he prayed in his journal for God’s direction:
George Mueller
Lord, if you want me to go forward with this Orphan House, make it plain to me. If I could be sure, it is Thy will in this matter, I would do so cheerfully, and if I could be sure that these are vain, foolish, proud thoughts, that are not from Thee, I would, by thy grace, entirely put them aside. If you call me to proceed in Thy service, then, notwithstanding the numberless difficulties, all will be well, and your name glorified. If you want me to be satisfied by my present circumstances, then, by Thy grace, I will heartily yield to it. Thou, my Heavenly Father will not suffer thy child to be mistaken, much less deluded. I shall continue to wait upon thee concerning this thing. I will trust in Thee all my heart. My hope is in Thee, O Lord.
Rev. Dr. Peter James served 42 years as the senior of Vienna Presbyterian Church in Vienna, VA — 21 years in the 20th century and 21 years in the 21st century. He retired in 2021 and now serves as Pastor-in-Residence at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary.
Even as a pastor, prayer came slowly to Pete. Read Pete’s story.