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It is unfortunate that the name “George Muller” is of relative insignificance to so many in the church today. Living in 19th century England, his life is an amazing story of faithfulness to God. Surrendering his life to Christ as a young man, he followed God’s call into ministry as pastor of a local church. Yet, due to the great absence of care for orphans at the time, Muller felt impressed to start an orphanage whereby physical and spiritual needs might be provided. By the time of his death in 1898, his orphanages had provided for the care of more than 10,000 abandoned children. In addition to this, he would provide financial support for hundreds of missionaries, provide for the printing and distribution of thousands of copies of the Bible, and establish a school for Christian education that would enroll more than 120,000 students. It has been estimated that his ministry oversaw the care of $8 million dollars (in today’s economy, $150 million dollars!), yet he possessed less than $800 dollars in personal funds at the time of his death. Most amazing, Muller never asked for money of anyone in support of his needs and that of his ministry. His devotion to prayer was so great that he determined to trust in God to meet all of his needs. I recommend you to read The Autobiography of George Muller, a book comprising the diary entries of this faithful servant of God. You will be humbled and astounded at the manner in which God provides to the one who trusts in Him.
Though Muller lived on little income and daily carried the burden of providing for many others, his convictions on giving financially and regularly to God’s work never wavered. About this matter he wrote:
Are you giving systematically to the Lord’s work, or are you leaving it to feeling, to impression made upon you through particular circumstances, or to striking appeals? If we do not give from principle systematically, we shall find that our one brief life is gone before we are aware of it, and that, in return, we have done little for that adorable One who bought us with His precious blood, and to whom belongs all we have and are.
It is to this very matter of “systematic” giving to which the Apostle Paul would write to the Church in Corinth.
“Now concerning the collection for the saints: as I directed the churches of Galatia, so you also are to do. On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up, as he may prosper, so that there will be no collecting when I come” (1 Corinthians 16:1-2).
From Paul’s instruction, we can understand three principles in giving to the Lord.
1. We should give systematically. He told them to give “on the first day of every week.” The people of Paul’s day were paid daily or weekly. Yet, they were not to wait upon a needful plea for funds until they gave. And they were not to come into the regular time of worship with God’s people empty-handed. Our worship to God should not be just regular by attending, singing, praying, listening, and serving, but also by giving.
2. We should give obediently. Paul says, “each of you is to put something aside.” This means we can’t excuse ourselves from giving financially because we give our time or our talents. To do that is good and right stewardship of those things, but that doesn’t teach the stewardship of money. We cannot excuse ourselves from giving if we are having a difficult time financially, or we are retired, or we just have a part-time job. God owns all we have, even if He hasn’t given us much to manage.
3. We should give proportionately. Paul writes that each is to give “as he may prosper.” The more you prosper, the higher should be the proportion of your giving. There is no percentage goal in giving. Giving 10 percent of your gross income does not necessarily mean you have fulfilled the will of God. That’s not a ceiling of giving to stop at, but a floor to move from.
Muller shares a final word of encouragement to us on this matter of planned giving to the Lord.
Therefore I may affectionately beseech and entreat my beloved Christian friends to take this to heart, and consider hitherto they have been depriving themselves of vast spiritual blessings, because they have not followed the principle of giving systematically, and giving as God prospers them, and according to a plan; not merely just according to impulse, not as they are moved by a missionary or charity sermon, but systematically and habitually giving on principle, just as God enables them. If he entrusts to them one pound, to give a proportion; if they are left a legacy of a thousand pounds, to give accordingly; if he entrusts them with ten thousand pounds, or whatever it may be, to give accordingly. Oh, my brethren, I believe if we realized the blessing, we would give thus on principle; and, if so, we should give a hundred times more than we do now.
Jason