Moved By Prayer

Moved by Prayer

The king’s heart is like a stream of water directed by the LORD; he guides it wherever he pleases. Proverbs 21:1

IN HUDSON TAYLOR’S YEARS OF PREPARATION for mission work in China, he made it a point to trust God for provision rather than asking people for it. On one occasion, he found himself without enough funds to pay his landlady, yet he wanted to prove to himself that human beings could be moved by God through prayer. Even though he could have asked the doctor to whom he was apprenticed to pay his salary, Taylor knew he would not have such access to funding sources once he was in China, considering the long travel times for correspondence in his era. So he prayed. And waited. And felt terribly embarrassed, knowing that his rent was due Saturday night and he had nothing to pay it with. He resisted the temptation to ask his employer and retreated to his room to plead with God.

On Saturday afternoon after the doctor had finished his rounds and sat down to relax, he casually asked if Taylor’s salary was due again. It was, Taylor replied. The doctor apologized and wished Taylor had reminded him earlier. He had sent the week’s earnings to the bank already. Late that night, the doctor returned to the office laughing. A wealthy patient had decided to pay his bill at that unusual hour rather than the following Monday. Apparently, the patient felt uneasy about it and ventured out at night to deliver it. The doctor handed the money over to Taylor—just what he needed to cover his rent.

Hudson Taylor’s faith swelled at this confirmation that once on the mission field he would be able to trust God to “move the hearts of men” in response to his prayers. He never wrestled again with God’s willingness to provide in a time of need. He certainly experienced times of need, but he also experienced miraculous answers to urgent prayers. He learned a powerful lesson that any of God’s children can take to the bank: Our Father is aware of our needs, hears our pleas, and responds to faith that is willing to be tried, tested, stretched, pulled, pushed, and confirmed. Even when the decisions of others are involved, he honors those who trust in him.

It is possible to move men, through God, by prayer alone.