I recently listened to John Piper recall the life and testimony of George Muller. This man was an extraordinary man of faith, and yet claimed his was not the gift of faith mentioned in 1 Corinthians 12:8. Rather, he said that the faith he demonstrated was not only attainable by all Christians, but indeed was necessary for those who truly understand the providence, grace, and sovereignty of God Almighty.
Below is Piper's telling of the events leading up to the death of Muller's wife, Mary. You can read or listen to the entire message HERE
Below is Piper's telling of the events leading up to the death of Muller's wife, Mary. You can read or listen to the entire message HERE
Mary's Death and the Key to His Life
We have the full text of the message at Mary's funeral and we have his own recollections of this loss. To feel the force of what he says, we have to know that they loved each other deeply and enjoyed each other in the work they shared.
Were we happy? Verily we were. With every year our happiness increased more and more. I never saw my beloved wife at any time, when I met her unexpectedly anywhere in Bristol, without being delighted so to do. I never met her even in the Orphan Houses, without my heart being delighted so to do. Day by day, as we met in our dressing room, at the Orphan Houses, to wash our hands before dinner and tea, I was delighted to meet her, and she was equally pleased to see me. Thousands of times I told her—“My darling, I never saw you at any time, since you became my wife, without my being delighted to see you.”
Then came the diagnosis: “When I heard what Mr. Pritchard's judgment was, viz., that the malady was rheumatic fever, I naturally expected the worst. . . . My heart was nigh to be broken on account of the depth of my affection.” The one who had seen God answer 10,000 prayers for the support of the orphan, this time did not get what he asked. Or did he?
Twenty minutes after four, Lord's Day, February 6, 1870, Mary died. “I fell on my knees and thanked God for her release, and for having taken her to Himself, and asked the Lord to help and support us.” He recalled later how he strengthened himself during these hours. And here we see the key to his life.
The last portion of scripture which I read to my precious wife was this: “The Lord God is a sun and shield, the Lord will give grace and glory, no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.” Now, if we have believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, we have received grace, we are partakers of grace, and to all such he will give glory also. I said to myself, with regard to the latter part, “no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly”—I am in myself a poor worthless sinner, but I have been saved by the blood of Christ; and I do not live in sin, I walk uprightly before God. Therefore, if it is really good for me, my darling wife will be raised up again; sick as she is. God will restore her again. But if she is not restored again, then it would not be a good thing for me. And so my heart was at rest. I was satisfied with God. And all this springs, as I have often said before, from taking God at his word, believing what he says.
Here is the cluster of unshakable convictions and experiences that are the key to this remarkable life. “I am in myself a poor worthless sinner.”I have been saved by the blood of Christ.” “I do not live in sin.”God is sovereign over life and death. If it is good for her and for me, she will be restored again. If not she won't.”My heart is at rest.”I am satisfied with God.” All this comes from taking God at his word. There you see the innermost being of George Mueller and the key to his life. The word of God, revealing his sin, revealing his Savior, revealing God's sovereignty, revealing God's goodness, revealing God's promise, awakening his faith, satisfying his soul. “I was satisfied with God.”
We have the full text of the message at Mary's funeral and we have his own recollections of this loss. To feel the force of what he says, we have to know that they loved each other deeply and enjoyed each other in the work they shared.
Were we happy? Verily we were. With every year our happiness increased more and more. I never saw my beloved wife at any time, when I met her unexpectedly anywhere in Bristol, without being delighted so to do. I never met her even in the Orphan Houses, without my heart being delighted so to do. Day by day, as we met in our dressing room, at the Orphan Houses, to wash our hands before dinner and tea, I was delighted to meet her, and she was equally pleased to see me. Thousands of times I told her—“My darling, I never saw you at any time, since you became my wife, without my being delighted to see you.”
Then came the diagnosis: “When I heard what Mr. Pritchard's judgment was, viz., that the malady was rheumatic fever, I naturally expected the worst. . . . My heart was nigh to be broken on account of the depth of my affection.” The one who had seen God answer 10,000 prayers for the support of the orphan, this time did not get what he asked. Or did he?
Twenty minutes after four, Lord's Day, February 6, 1870, Mary died. “I fell on my knees and thanked God for her release, and for having taken her to Himself, and asked the Lord to help and support us.” He recalled later how he strengthened himself during these hours. And here we see the key to his life.
The last portion of scripture which I read to my precious wife was this: “The Lord God is a sun and shield, the Lord will give grace and glory, no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.” Now, if we have believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, we have received grace, we are partakers of grace, and to all such he will give glory also. I said to myself, with regard to the latter part, “no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly”—I am in myself a poor worthless sinner, but I have been saved by the blood of Christ; and I do not live in sin, I walk uprightly before God. Therefore, if it is really good for me, my darling wife will be raised up again; sick as she is. God will restore her again. But if she is not restored again, then it would not be a good thing for me. And so my heart was at rest. I was satisfied with God. And all this springs, as I have often said before, from taking God at his word, believing what he says.
Here is the cluster of unshakable convictions and experiences that are the key to this remarkable life. “I am in myself a poor worthless sinner.”I have been saved by the blood of Christ.” “I do not live in sin.”God is sovereign over life and death. If it is good for her and for me, she will be restored again. If not she won't.”My heart is at rest.”I am satisfied with God.” All this comes from taking God at his word. There you see the innermost being of George Mueller and the key to his life. The word of God, revealing his sin, revealing his Savior, revealing God's sovereignty, revealing God's goodness, revealing God's promise, awakening his faith, satisfying his soul. “I was satisfied with God.”
I urge Christians to consider the understanding revealed here in this passage as spoken by a man of faith and service to the Lord, and of true humility, this man George Muller. His understanding of the grace of God is not confined to the understanding of his mortal mind, nor to the bounds of our physical habitation on Earth, but rather in full view of the immensity of eternity and built upon the authority of God's inerrant Word.
When our son was stillborn 5 years ago, I prayed that God would bring our son back to us. I begged God to let him live, and yet once the panic of the moment was over, I also found comfort in Job's consideration that "The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord" I admittedly did not (during the ambulance ride and subsequent events at the hospital) seek God's glory so much as my own will, but only found true comfort in the end trusting that transcendent truth, that God is truly in control even when I felt so out of control. Let me add here that I urge great caution for anyone looking in from the outside on such trials that we avoid judging one another, but rather share the judgement of my own heart and actions looking back on the goodness of God and the wisdom of His Word.
In the midst of such a difficult time, God often shows us His mercy and wisdom and gives us reason for hope in Christ no matter what comes. If we look at this life in light of eternity, we can agree with Paul the apostle that "to live is Christ and to die is gain". Yet, we cannot look at this life as simply awaiting glory with our Savior, but as servants who have been called and must obey our Master as He has given us labors to do for His glory.
Paul speaking to the Athenians in Acts 17 said that God has determined our "appointed times and the boundaries of our habitation" and that "in Him we live and move and exist" which fortifies our resolve to seek God's glory above our own comfort. In difficult times, it is not that we become callous to our emotions or avoid pain, but rather that we see all things in light of the precious truth that God is in control, His wisdom is far beyond our comprehension, and that we can fully trust the Author and Giver of life with every aspect of our lives on this Earth.
As the magnitude of God's wisdom is inexhaustible, maybe this thought is best summed up with the promise of God from Revelation 21:1-7 NASB
When our son was stillborn 5 years ago, I prayed that God would bring our son back to us. I begged God to let him live, and yet once the panic of the moment was over, I also found comfort in Job's consideration that "The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord" I admittedly did not (during the ambulance ride and subsequent events at the hospital) seek God's glory so much as my own will, but only found true comfort in the end trusting that transcendent truth, that God is truly in control even when I felt so out of control. Let me add here that I urge great caution for anyone looking in from the outside on such trials that we avoid judging one another, but rather share the judgement of my own heart and actions looking back on the goodness of God and the wisdom of His Word.
In the midst of such a difficult time, God often shows us His mercy and wisdom and gives us reason for hope in Christ no matter what comes. If we look at this life in light of eternity, we can agree with Paul the apostle that "to live is Christ and to die is gain". Yet, we cannot look at this life as simply awaiting glory with our Savior, but as servants who have been called and must obey our Master as He has given us labors to do for His glory.
Paul speaking to the Athenians in Acts 17 said that God has determined our "appointed times and the boundaries of our habitation" and that "in Him we live and move and exist" which fortifies our resolve to seek God's glory above our own comfort. In difficult times, it is not that we become callous to our emotions or avoid pain, but rather that we see all things in light of the precious truth that God is in control, His wisdom is far beyond our comprehension, and that we can fully trust the Author and Giver of life with every aspect of our lives on this Earth.
As the magnitude of God's wisdom is inexhaustible, maybe this thought is best summed up with the promise of God from Revelation 21:1-7 NASB
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth;
for the first heaven and the first earth passed away,
and there is no longer any sea.
And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem,coming down out of heaven from God,
made ready as a bride adorned for her husband.
And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying,
“Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them,
and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them,
and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death;
there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.”
And He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.”
And He *said, “Write, for these words are faithful and true.”
Then He said to me, “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end.
I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without cost.
He who overcomes will inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be My son."
