Awaken The Dawn

A Vessel of Honor

Mueller’s life story greatly encouraged me. Early morn- ing prayer was a vital part of his life, of course; prayer, in fact, permeated all that he did. The most insignificant things were brought to God in prayer. It was not unusual for large bills to be met on the last day, or the last hour, but always in answer to prayer. His testimony should encourage any reader of this book:

If I say that during the fifty-four years and nine months that I have been a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ I have had thirty thousand answers to prayer, either in the same hour or the same day that the requests were made, I should not go a particle too far. Often, before leaving my bedroom in the morn- ing, have I had prayer answered that was offered that morning, and in the course of the day I have had five or six more answers to prayer; so that at least thirty thousand prayers have been answered the self-same hour of the self-same day that they were offered. But one or the other might suppose all my prayers have been thus promptly answered. No; not all of them. Sometimes I have had to wait weeks, months or years; sometimes many years. 2

George Mueller’s dedication to prayer shaped, fired, and wrought in his life a vessel of honor and beauty. He is a symbol of an insignificant man who was transformed into a testimony of unequalled greatness. In Paul’s words:

Therefore, if a man cleanses himself from these things, he will be a vessel of honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work. 3

Although we are studying the principles which shaped Jesus’ prayer and ministry, it is good to show that mortal 95