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Sitting Down To Dinner


Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done. If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.” (Mark 21:21-22) 

Have you ever heard of George Muller of Bristol, England? Back in the 1800s, he believed he was being led to start an orphanage. The Ashley Down Orphanage cared for 10,024 children over the years. He started 117 schools which provided educations for more than 120,000 children. All of it was done by prayer. His policy was that he never asked anyone but God for anything. No fundraising. No awareness campaigns. Nothing but prayer. He wrote of times when the residents of the orphanage would sit down for dinner with no food available. As they said grace, a cart would arrive with what was needed. That’s just one example. Read his autobiography (The Autobiography of George Muller.)
     God doesn’t call everyone to sit down to dinner with nothing to eat, but He does call everyone to trust Him. Sometimes I wait. Friends have suggested for years that I should move somewhere with better job prospects, but God has provided jobs and support where I am. They might not be the way I want to do things, but God has provided. What would happen if I found ways to trust Him more?
     Two areas come to mind immediately: my father and my story. I’m not sure how to trust more with regard to my father. That’s probably a moment by moment thing. I know that once the story is ready, I’ll have to find an agent and/or send it to publishers, packaged appropriately. Nothing seems to paralyze me faster than having to sell myself or my writing to someone – to convince them to hire me or to buy some extension of myself. Mr. Muller expected his prayers to be answered because he believed that God gave him his work. What work has He given you?
     Heavenly Father, I confess that I am afraid to trust you the way Mr. Muller did. Help me learn to ask as he asked and to trust as he trusted.

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