Salvation is Calling

 

 Somewhere in time, September 27, 1805, George Mueller was born. George Mueller wasn’t the type of child we would have expected much from. When his mother lay dying, he was out drinking. He was arrested and put in prison when he was sixteen. In prison he made friends with others who were worse than him.  His father bailed him out and sent him to school in a different city. Maybe a change of scenery would do him good. It didn’t. He continued on, only to get into more trouble.

The change for George Mueller came in steps. The first step was attending college to become a minister. This may seem an unusual choice for someone who had no spiritual aspirations, but I believe Mueller’s family thought it might give him a good living and maybe even a desire to live differently. It worked in a weird way. The school was extremely secular and many of the students studying for the ministry were not called by God, but a few of them were. These students invited George Mueller to a bible study this began his transformation. He now knew that faith was real and God was the one he needed to serve. His life began to change.

He left for England, perhaps there they would not remember this little liar and thief and his faith would have a chance to take off. He went to England to begin his ministry, but he got sick. While he was sick he was cared for by a man whose faith really rattled George’s image of faith. George would watch him pray and it changed him. Prayers were formal and uttered with design and decorum. Not so with this man. He would fall on his knees and cry out to God with his whole heart. George was introduced to a new doctrine, one not taught in Seminary, the doctrine of Grace. This changed his life.

Ephesians 2:8 (NIV) “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.”

We can do the best we can, but nothing we can do will earn us a place in heaven. We are saved by grace. It is a free gift from God. For George Mueller, this concept revolutionized his life. He was able to serve God with his whole heart. God paid the price for his salvation.

 In addition to pastoring his church, he founded other ministries and one of these was an outreach to orphaned and abandoned children. His work with the orphans gained him the most attention on his life and the strength of this faith. George Mueller died on March 10, 1898 at the age of 92. In his life time, he took care of 10,024 children. When he died, tens of thousands attended his funeral.

If there is someone in your life you are praying for, just remember George Mueller.  I’m sure there were times when his family was praying and it seemed hopeless.  Their prayers were answered probably beyond their expectations.  If you’re praying, don’t give up, salvation is calling.

 

Third Day - Lift Up Your Face (Official Music Video) from third-day on GodTube.