Like The Pilgrim’s Progress, I had heard nothing about the great George Müller before taking Personal Spiritual Disciplines at Southern. It seems like this course is one of those eye-openers for my faith, revealing to me much hidden treasure that can be found outside of my own Christian circle in Toronto. While I read somewhere recently that he came to prize the Bible alone as his standard of judgment, his name has never been mentioned by my Christian friends or Sunday School teachers. My pastor, as well as the large majority of English-speaking Chinese pastors all went to the non-denominational Tyndale Seminary for their M.Divs, and it is unfortunate that none of these pastors have much empathy for the faith of many the “old” forefathers of our Protestant faith nor the Puritans.

George Müller is very similar in his foundational theology to many of my own modern day theological heroes. In this biography of him by Roger Steer titled “Delighted in God”, Müller (a German) and his best friend Henry Craik started what would be known as the Open Brethren denomination of churches in the England. He appears to affirm many points of the doctrines of grace, for he tells the story of how his own faith and theology was tested early in his ministry and how he found his way to the truth that is set forth explicitly in the Scriptures.

Müller is best known for his faith in God alone for the satisfaction of all his needs. As one of the early founders of orphanages in England, he has never been found in recorded history that he ever asked for money. He lived day to day by prayer and supplication to the Lord to provide for all his ministry’s needs, and it seems that he had almost all his prayers answered by God – like 3/4 of which were answered almost immediately by God. There were times that his orphanages were completely emptied of food and money, but upon his prayer before his staff and his children, food and money came knocking on their door in the middle of his prayers. Seriously!

I have never in my life heard of anybody who had such a strong faith and conviction in our invisible God to provide for every morsel and dollar… until I read Muller’s biography. I don’t know if ever I could have the kind of faith he had in God to answer prayer. I yearn and try though, if at all possible to attain the blessings he received from the Provider. People who live on the edge of life, on the seat of their pants, not recklessly but simplistically by faith in God are few and rare in today’s church. When I hear of people who are only remotely like Muller, I think at first that they must be Charismatic or Pentecostal, or that they’re answers to prayer are only coincidences.

However, looking at Müller and all that has been recorded about his sufficiency in God alone, I cannot doubt that everything that happened to him was genuine and authentic. He is an example of the tangible Christian faith that we all should esteem to, especially those of us who are called to ministry. I loved reading his biography and would heartily recommend it to all my friends who desire a glimpse of what a real belief in the power of prayer looks like!