WOW!
Listen to this conversation between George Müller (famous for fully relying on God’s daily provision for the thousands of orphans he would care for in his orphanages) and his new wife, Mary. They had been married for one week and she had happily finished unpacking in his house, getting it all set up when he came home from traveling that day, sharing the gospel. She was excited to show her new husband the fruit of her labor. Here is what happened next:
As George looked around the room, his heart sank. His house was beginning to look like so many other houses he had visited- cluttered with things: things that would stop him from answering God’s call on his life, things that would have to be packed up and transported from one place to another, things that would mock his attempt to live only for God.
He sank wearily into his chair. “They have to go,” he said in a low voice.
“What has to go?” frowned Mary.
“Everything,” replied George, waving his hand vaguely around the room, “The silver, the china, the tapestries. Everything that’s not necessary has to go.”
“But why?” stammered Mary, turning pale and sinking into a chair.
“Because,” said George, “I travel from one end of Devon to the other preaching that the Bible is to be taken literally, and I come home at night to a home filled with baubles. After all, Jesus said, ‘Sell all you have and give to the poor,’ didn’t He?” (1)
* * *
Here’s the amazing part,
The next evening when George came home, the silverware, china, and tapestries were all gone. Sitting on the china cabinet in their place was a stack of pound notes. Mary pointed to them. “Do what you think best with it, George, and may God help us both,” she said. (2)
* * *
It is painful even to copy these words here on my blog, as we are packing up our things to be “transported from one place to another”- God is doing a work on our hearts about things and I am just becoming more and more aware of all the baubles I currently have. And just to clarify- Mary Müller’s things were family treasures- the family silver, her mother’s china, and the tapestries had been in her family for generations. Yet she gave it all to be obedient to Christ! By the way, what a beautiful picture of a wife submitting to her husband, too! Wow!
I am writing tonight with a heavy heart as I am becoming aware of some sinful attitudes I have toward things, and ultimately putting my comfort and convenience ahead of God’s glory. I would just ask you to pray for us as we are at the beginning of some steps here that are difficult to make. I would ask you to pray for wisdom as we make decisions, for eyes to see what is need and what is luxury and for willing hearts to obey what we hear. Especially, please pray as we will be in the United States for 4 months, surrounded by easily affordable and easily attainable things. May we be strong and true to our convictions! Only by God’s grace and with His strength! Grant it, Lord!
(1) George Müller: The Guardian of Bristol’s Orphans, Janet and Geoff Benge (Christian Heroes: Then & Now), p.77
(2) George Müller: The Guardian of Bristol’s Orphans, Janet and Geoff Benge (Christian Heroes: Then & Now), p.78
Wow!!!what a blog!!!! I just read it to Don, who is visiting. Wow!!! Touching!!
This is the hardest message I think I’ve read from you and John. You do know I love baubles, and their being cheap (free, on sale) doesn’t justify their acquisition if I don’t genuinely need them. I have been watching an A&E show called Hoarders, and while it makes me nearly sick (true filth), I watch because it is touching me a little too deeply. I don’t have a home filled with cat poo (and, in one case, cat skeletons!), but I can hear their words resounding in my own head…”now this could be cleaned up…this could be used for…but it was (fill in – cheap, my mother’s, rare..).” We have so many rationalizations for what we do, but I am experiencing today the foolishness of it all: I can hardly prepare for your arrival because I am trying to clear surfaces of papers (good articles, recipes, websites, etc.), things (potential supplies for arts and crafts), and stuff bought on sale because you should never pass up a bargain.
I am now willing to pray and be prayed for to be delivered/given strength to resist that I may better use my time and resources for His Kingdom. Thank you, Bird, my precious truth-teller.
Hey Jenny,
I popped out to your blog tonight (which I don’t read often enough) to see if you guys were home yet, and you stepped on my toes!
In a good way. Still being pretty newlywed, the part about such willing submission hit as hard as the part about keeping baubles. Moving twice already this year with another move hopefully in the next few months I’ve cleared about a lot of stuff (you just get tired of packing it!!), but I still have a number of boxes that I just hate to let go of…..reminders of places I’ve been, people I’ve known, things I’ve done, books I plan to read, etc. I’ll be praying for you. I know you’re a fan of baubles, for some of the same reasons I am. May God bless you with wisdom about what to part with, and a peace that he will replace their value with greater intangible blessings.
I love you and can’t wait to see you!