Skip to main content

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.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Right Road

          Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,” even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you. (Psalm 139:7-12)                  For years before GPSes existed, I told people I wanted something in my car that would tell me, “Turn left in half a mile…turn left in a quarter mile…turn left in 500 feet… turn left in 100 feet…turn left now …You missed the turn, Dummy!” The problem isn’t necessarily that I get lost so much as I’m afraid I’ll get lost. I don’t want to have to spend my whole trip stressing over the next turn. I have the same problem with my spiritual journey.   
Post a Comment
Read more

Died as a Ransom

                 For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant. (Hebrews 9:15)                  This is something I’d really rather not think about but here it is and it’s important. I was reading in Bold Love about seeking revenge.  The author wrote of seeking justice when a supposed Christian does something sinful, harmful, and/or horrific, like sexually abusing a daughter.  And the thought that came to mind was of God asking if Jesus’ death was sufficient payment to me for the sin committed against me.                I have no specific longing for revenge, vengeance, or justice. I’m sure there are some lurking somewhere in my heart, but this wasn’t a response to one. It was more a question of principle. Jesus’ death was sufficient payment for to God for our sins.  That’s the standard Sunday Schoo
1 comment
Read more

Out of the Depths

  Out of the depths I have cried to You, Lord. Lord, hear my voice! Let Your ears be attentive to the sound of my pleadings.   If You, Lord, were to keep account of guilty deeds, Lord, who could stand? But there is forgiveness with You, so that You may be revered. I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and I wait for His word. My soul waits in hope for the Lord more than the watchmen for the morning; Yes, more than the watchmen for the morning. Israel, wait for the Lord; for with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him is abundant redemption. And He will redeem Israel from all his guilty deeds . (Psalm 130)             I like Mr. Peterson’s interpretation of the first line. “The bottom has fallen out of my life!” Of course, the problem for some of us is the fact that we’re drama queens, and/or we’re weak. Any time anything happens that disturbs our sense of mastery and control, the bottom has fallen out of our lives. If the past couple of days have taught me anything, they’ve t
1 comment
Read more