George Mueller: The landlady, poorsisters, and gracious provision

March 19. Our landlady sent again of her meat for our dinner. We have but a half-penny left. I feel myself very cold in asking for money; still, I hope for deliverance, though I do not see whence money is to come. We were not able to buy bread today as usual.

March 20. This has been again a day of very great mercies. In the morning we met round our breakfast which the Lord had provided for us, though we had not a single penny left. The last halfpenny was spent for milk. We were then still looking to Jesus for fresh supplies. We both had no doubt that the Lord would interfere.

I felt it a trial that I had but little earnestness in asking the Lord; and had this not been the case, perhaps we might have had our wants sooner supplied. We have about seven pounds in the house; but considering it no longer our own, the Lord kept us from taking of it, with the view of replacing what we had taken, as formerly I might have done.

The meat which was sent yesterday for our dinner was enough also for to-day. Thus the Lord had provided another meal. Two sisters called upon us about noon, who gave us two pounds of sugar, one pound of coffee, and two cakes of chocolate.

Whilst they were with us, a poor sister came and brought us one shilling from herself and two shillings and sixpence from another poor sister. Our landlady also sent us again of her dinner, and also a loaf. Our bread would scarcely have been enough for tea, had the Lord not thus graciously provided.

In the afternoon, the same sister who brought the money bought us also, from another sister, one pound of butter and two shillings, and from another sister five shillings.”

George Mueller (1805-1898) in The Life of Trust (New York: Sheldon and Company, 1878) 93-94.

Click here to download this classic work.

I want to acknowledge that some people reading this have a refrigerator full of food and a pantry stocked with provision including plenty of coffee and chocolate.

Think of coffee and chocolate not as necessities but treats or luxuries.

I must add that many readers of this daily post have insufficient food for today. They can relate to the hunger that we sense in Mueller’s report of these three days.

And they only dream about enjoying coffee and chocolate.

Yet again, the generosity flows from ordinary sources: a landlady and poor sisters. This reminds us that generosity flows not necessarily from people with wealth. It flows from humble servants with a humble heart and a willingness to share.

Where do you fit in today’s post? Are you hungry? Ask God for your daily bread. And maintain the life of trust even it means you go hungry for a few days.

Do you have both your necessities sorted and luxuries you could share? Share what you have. And engage others to give with you. In so doing, you are meeting needs and sharing joy.

And speaking of chocolate…today’s my sister’s birthday. I hope she enjoys a special treat to celebrate. Happy birthday Heather. I love you.

Also today, I travel to California. I will spend quality the weekend with my life-long friend, Dr. Chi-Chung Keung and other dear brothers.

I am not sure about the chocolate, but I look forward to coffee, a couple baseball games, and even a 5k run together with many of them.