A House on the Hill, Built by Prayer

“Let patience finish its work.” — from James 1

The orphan homes grew so full and so busy that George decided to do something enormous: build one great big house out in the country, big enough for three hundred children. And he would pay for all of it the same way as always — only by praying.

A huge house costs a huge amount of money. So George began to pray for it, day after day. And on the thirty-sixth day of praying, a gift of one thousand pounds arrived! It was a wonderful amount — yet George felt as calm as if someone had handed him a single small coin, because by now he simply expected God to answer.

Then a man who drew building plans — someone George had never even met — offered to design the whole house and watch over the building for free!

Next George needed land. He heard of a fine field on a hill called Ashley Down. But the first evening, the owner could not be found anywhere. George wasn’t upset; he felt God had a reason. And he was right. That very night, the owner woke up at three in the morning and couldn’t get back to sleep — his mind was full of that field. He decided that if George wanted it, he would sell it — and for far less than he had planned to charge!

So George bought the big field, and in time great houses stood on that hill, filled with hundreds and hundreds of happy, well-fed orphans — every brick of it built by prayer.

God can do more than we ever dream. Keep praying, keep waiting, and watch what he can build.

Dear God, you can do great big things. Teach me to keep praying and to wait for you patiently. Amen.