In November 1844, I began to pray for the conversion of five individuals. I
prayed every day without a single intermission, whether sick or in health, on
the land, on the sea, and whatever the pressure of my engagements might be.
Eighteen months elapsed before the first of the five was converted. I thanked
God and prayed on for the others. Five years elapsed, and then the second was
converted. I thanked God for the second, and prayed on for the other three. Day
by day, I continued to pray for them, and six years passed before the third was
converted. I thanked God for the three, and went on praying for the other two.
These two remained unconverted.'
Thirty-six years later he wrote that the other two, sons of one of Muller's
friends, were still not converted. He wrote, "But I hope in God, I pray on, and
look for the answer. They are not converted yet, but they will be." In 1897,
fifty-two years after he began to pray daily, without interruption, for these
two men, they were finally convertedbut after he died! Muller understood what
Luke meant when he introduced a parable Jesus told about prayer, saying, "Then
Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and
not give up" (Luke 18:1).
Used with permission from Deepening Your Conversation With God by Ben Patterson
(c)1999 Bethany House Publishers, a division of Baker Book House Company. All
Rights Reserved, p. 105-106.
The Illustrator: This daily newsletter is dedicated to encouraging
everyone to look towards Jesus as the source of all the solutions to our
problems. It contains a daily inspirational story, a Bible verse and encouraging
messages. HTML and plain text versions available.
The Nugget: Published three times a week, this newsletter features inspirational devotionals and mini-sermons dedicated to drawing mankind closer to each other and to Christ.