And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of His glory in Christ Jesus. –Philippians 4:19 (NIV)
From Prayer to Provision
A ray of sun filtered in through the holes in the curtains, stretching across the wooden floorboards until it glowed on the face of a sleeping infant. Inside the orphanage, this signaled the morning routine had begun. Caretakers shuffled around, dressing the littlest and monitoring the older kids as they straightened their bed sheets and fluffed their pillows.
At breakfast, there was an unusual delay. The orphanage director was nowhere in sight; finally, he entered the room. Without an explanation, George simply said: “Children, it is time to give thanks to God for our food.”
But you would never guess the shocking truth.
The kitchen was empty. No milk. No porridge. No potatoes. Not a grain in sight. The staff didn’t know what to do. Yet, despite the grim news, George continued his custom of walking out in front of the children in the dining hall to bless the meal.
He closed his eyes, lifted his hands, and prayed, “Dear Father, we thank You for what You are going to give us to eat. Amen.”
After a chorus of amens from the children, the room went quiet. Suddenly, a knock echoed from the other side of the hall. Someone was at the door.
Unexpected Provision
George opened it to find the local baker. “Mr. Müller, I’m sorry to disturb you, but I couldn’t sleep last night,” he said. “Somehow I felt you didn’t have food for breakfast, and the Lord wanted me to send you some. So, I got up at two o’clock in the morning and baked bread for you.”
George was astonished, even though he had come to expect miracles like this.
As soon as he began handing out the loaves, there was another surprising knock! It was the milkman. “Mr. Müller, I hate to disturb you this early, but my milk cart just broke down outside your place,” he said. “All the milk will spoil before I’m able to get the engine fixed. Is there any chance you could use some extra milk?”
This wasn’t the first or the last miracle George Müller experienced. He opened his first orphan home in Bristol, England, in 1836, housing 26 children. Eventually, he expanded to five orphan houses, and over the course of 60 years he cared for more than 10,000 orphans!
Unbelievable Faith
There was a rule George always kept. He never asked people for money. He trusted in God as his sole Provider.
On one occasion, he prayed for money to renovate an orphan house but never said a word about it to anyone. Days later, a private donor sent a check with the exact amount down to the penny. God consistently answered his prayers and moved others to action on his behalf.
Can you imagine Müller living like this in our world today? Often, a life of faith requires us to live in the gray space between our prayer and God’s answer, experiencing the discomfort of lack until just the right time.
It’s easy to make excuses for why we’re not able to step into what God is calling us to do. Maybe we don't feel equipped. Or maybe we feel under-resourced or uncertain about how to begin. The gap between what we have and what we need can seem too great, causing us to hesitate or never start at all. Yet, George Müller’s life is proof that God always provides for the mission He calls us to do. George didn’t wait until he had all the resources—he simply stepped forward in obedience, trusting his Great Provider would supply exactly what was needed at exactly the right time.
Müller’s story challenges us to live by faith in whatever work God has placed before us. When we move in obedient faith, God meets us there—not always early, but never late.
What does this mean for me?
Is there something God has called you to do but you’re not sure where to start? Take a moment to write it down. Remember that God is our Provider and never gives us a vision without His provision—He is often just waiting on us to take a leap of faith. What is one small, practical step you can take today to get you just a little bit closer to what God is asking you to do?
This article is part of the Let’s Go devotional, which is focused on fulfilling Jesus’ Great Commission. Follow along with the devotional here.