Blog on George Muller

David Clarkson, Blog on George Muller, April 6, 2016,

Power or Prayer

I have recently been doing a lot of reading on a German missionary named George Muller. More than anybody else I have ever studied, he understood and believed in the power of prayer. He grew up getting into all the trouble he could possibly get into, until one day he found himself in jail in more trouble and debt than he had ever been in. Luckily, his dad bailed him out after he convinced him that he wanted to go to college. After a few more troubled and mischievous years in college, he met a friend who convinced him to go to bible study one night when he was out drunk partying. This bible study changed his life forever as he met a tangible and real Jesus for the first time in his life. After the study was over, he told his friend that the experience was the most fun he had ever had in his life, even better than the time he stole enough money to take a trip to Switzerland with all his friends for spring break. George continued going to these studies, and gradually parted ways with his troublesome practices as he pursued faith in Jesus Christ. After telling his father he wanted to be a missionary, roughly a year later, resulting in his father rejecting him and cutting him off financially, George had to completely rely on the Lord for his financial needs. This act of faith would set the cornerstone for the rest of his life and ministry. From that point on, George never asked anybody for money (including never having a salary), and completely relied on the Lord through prayer that all his short and long term needs would be taken care of. This payed off for George, and the Lord not only took care of all his financial needs with his family, but George also supported around 10,000 orphans completely through prayer. Along with his pastoral duties and other various programs, George built a number of orphan houses which held around 10,000 orphans until they were adults by the time he died. These orphanages were funded completely through prayer, as George never asked anybody for money, completely trusting in faith that the Lord would provide for what He entrusted to George. George's faith and belief in prayer completely transformed the city of Bristol, the orphans he gave a home to, and the millions who have studied his story since he died. For me, this story only makes me wonder what God could do through me if I had faith in prayer like George Muller.