Wisdom from George Muller – 4.18.09

The less we read the word of God, the less we desire to read it, and the less we pray, the less we desire to pray.

-George Muller

Mr. Muller knew what he was talking about. He was a man who read his Bible from end to end almost 200 times (most of that reading being done while on his knees in prayer) and prayed in millions of dollars for the operation of the orphanages he founded in Bristol, England without ever asking anyone for money. He never took a salary the last 68 years of his ministry but trusted God to put in people's hearts to send him what he needed. He ran orphanages, a mission agency, and a church without ever taking out a loan or going into debt. And neither he nor the orphans ever went hungry.

(Read a short bio on George Muller at http://www.desiringgod.org/)

So he was a man who knew how to get in touch with God. He devoted himself to this task, for the work he set out to accomplish – and did accomplish – depended entirely on this ability.

But pay careful attention to what he said. Basically, he said that a desire to faithfully read God's word and consistently spend time before the Lord in prayer is something that must be acquired. It might not be fun all the time. It might not be naturally enjoyable.

But if you become convinced that it's worth the commitment of your time and effort – and it is – then eventually the blessing and the sweetness of spending time in fellowship with God will cause it to become much more than a duty or an obligation; it will become the longing and desire of your heart.