I have heard many interesting nicknames in the recent past: God’s smuggler (Brother Andrew, who spent his life smuggling bibles into Communist countries), God’s Businessman (R.G. LeTourneau, who spent 90% of his business profits on the course of Jesus), and God’s Rottweiler (Pope Benedict XVI, who, before he became Pope, was an enforcer of Catholic orthodoxy). I just heard another that touched my heart: Robber of the Cruel Street! And he did it in God’s name!
Quite brings to memory the Thief of Baghdad! But they have nothing in common. George Muller was an everyday guy, a regular youth, reckless and living each day as it came. Until he had a personal encounter with God and the course of his life was altered, permanently!
A native of Germany, he migrated to England. One day he called a meeting of Christian friends in Bristol. He told them that he could not bear to walk past the “waifs” and pretend as if he did not see them, and then claim to be Christ-like! He was said to have catered for over 120,000 orphans / street urchins in his life time.
Muller was known for only two things. His orphanages and his faith! He prayed, and got results! He built a committed team in his orphanages until they could run without him! After the orphanages were optimally established, his wife passed on. His new wife opened another vista in his life. He started out sharing his experience of faith at age 70, and continued until he died at 87 on a Sunday morning while preparing the sermon for the day!
He spent his life for two strong points:
1) Salvaging the orphans from the streets
2) Faith; First living by it, then teaching it!
When George Muller died, the newspapers read:
“…had robbed the cruel streets of thousands of victims, the gaols of thousands of felons, and the workhouses of thousands of helpless waifs” – The Daily Telegraph.
“He was raised up for the purpose of showing that the age of miracles is not past, and rebuking the skeptical tendencies of the time” – The Bristol Times.
For a man to live for no purpose, it is not good!
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May we successfully identify our purposes in life and pursue them with vigor till positive results are obtained. And may God’s plans and purposes be fulfilled in our lives.
Lanre, I wish you more grace for this good work.
Happy Sunday.
There is nothing more fulfilling and satisfying than identifying your purpose and working towards it.
Arguably the best article I have read. It was just an answer to a prayer. God bless you Lanre. Bunmi Faj