Skip to main content

Missed Opportunity and the Grace of God, by Pastor Charlie Handren

By Anonymous


Missed Opportunities and the Grace of God
By Pastor Charlie

     I love George Müller. Sure, I’ve never met him (since he lived from 1805-1898), but I’ve carefully read many things he’s written and through his pen we can see his heart. One thing I love most about him is that he was quick to notice his failures, admit them, and learn from them. Once such failure took place when he was twenty-two years old and traveling from Halle to Berlin, Germany. Although the following quote is long, I want to let Müller speak for himself.
     Two ladies of title traveled with me to Berlin in a hired carriage. As I knew that we should be for two days together, I thought, in my fleshly wisdom, that though I might speak to them about the things of God, I should first show them kindness and attention, and that, after thus opening a way to their hearts, I might fully set before them their state by nature, and point them to the Lamb of God.
     We went on together most amicably, I making only a few general remarks about divine things. On the second evening, however, when we were near the end of our journey, I felt that it was high time to speak. And no sooner had I plainly begun to do so, then one of them replied, ‘Oh! Sir, I wish you had spoken sooner about these things, for we have, for a long time, wished to have someone to whom we might open our hearts; but seeing that the ministers whom we know do not live consistently, we have been kept from speaking to them.’ I now found that they had been under conviction of sin for some time, but did not know the way to obtain peace, even by faith in the Lord Jesus.
     After this, I spoke freely to them during the hour that yet remained. They parted from me with feelings of gratitude and regret that they could hear no more, for they only passed through Berlin. I felt myself greatly reproved, and all I could do was by a long letter to seek to make up for my deficiency in ministering to them on the journey. May this circumstance never be forgotten by me, and may it prove a blessing to the believing reader. (Autobiography of George Müller, Westminster Literature, page 27-28)
As you reflect on this story, what do you think kept Müller from speaking about the things of God earlier? How did his fleshly wisdom get in the way of spiritual things? How does this story speak into your life and ministry with others?



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

To Have My Soul Happy in the Lord, by George Muller

By Anonymous
To Have My Soul Happy in the Lord By George Muller “It has pleased the Lord to teach me a truth, the benefit of which I have not lost for more than fourteen years. The point is this: I saw more clearly than ever that the first great and primary business to which I ought to attend every day was to have my soul happy in the Lord. The first thing to be concerned about was not how much I might serve the Lord, or how I might glorify the Lord, but how I might get my soul into a happy state, and how my inner man might be nourished. “I saw that the most important thing I had to do was to give myself to the reading of the Word of God—not prayer, but the Word of God. And here again, not the simple reading of the Word of God so that it only passes through my mind just as water runs through a pipe, but considering what I read, pondering over it, and applying it to my heart. To meditate on it, that thus my heart might be comforted, encouraged, warned, reproved, instructed. And that thus,...
Post a Comment
Read more

Worship Songs, October 15, 2017

By
We post these worship songs leading up to the worship service so that parents may listen to them in the house or in the car within the days leading up to the worship service. Our hope is that children will hear the songs prior to and it will prepare them to participate in worship on Sunday mornings. My Redeemers Love Hope Has Come I Will Glory In My Redeemer Blessed Be Your Name Here In Your Presence Your Glory Be Still My Soul (In You I Rest) -- Sermon Text: John 11:1-16 That the next generation will set their hope in God and not forget the works of God (Psalm 78:7).
Post a Comment
Read more

Meditations on the Glory of Christ: He Sits at the Right Hand of God

By
In Hebrews 1:2-4, the author makes seven claims about Jesus that when taken together greatly exalt his glory. The seventh claim the author makes about the Son is that, having made purification for sins, he now sits at the right hand of the Majesty on high. The words “he sat down” set the stage for chapter 7 where we’re taught that Jesus is both Priest and King. Prior to Jesus, no king offered his own sacrifices and no priest sat on the throne of David, for that wouldn’t be right. God had decreed that there should be a separation of powers between the priest and the king, but Jesus, unlike all before him, is worthy and able to fulfill both roles. So, on the one hand, Jesus sat down at the right hand of God after making purification for sins because the sacrifice he offered, namely himself, is sufficient. Other priests were always standing, as we see in chapter 10:11-14, because their work was never done. The blood of bulls and goats can never take away sins, so the priests could...
Post a Comment
Read more