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England’s Hudson Taylor, the missionary God used to transform China, was consumed with leading the lost into God’s Kingdom. In spite of the unfathomable challenges he would face – a lack of money, support, translators, and supplies – he never once asked anyone for money. Instead, he simply prayed.
Why not? That strategy paid off time and time again….
For instance, on a trip back home to London, Taylor was overseeing the monthly distribution of funds sent to those serving in China when he noted that the account was a whopping 235 pounds short of expenditures. At noon that day, Taylor suggested to his fellow servants, “Let us bring the matter to the Lord in prayer.” That very night, the postman delivered a letter with an enclosed check noted “from the sale of plate.” The sum of the donation was a little over 235 pounds!
But that’s just one account of God’s provision in response to Hudson Taylor’s faith.
On a separate occasion in London, Hudson was returning from speaking at a meeting when he happened to take a seat on a train next to a Russian nobleman who had just heard him speak. En route to London, Count Bobrinsky took out his wallet and said to Hudson, “Allow me to give you a little toward your work in China.” The Russian then proceeded to give Taylor a note for the staggering sum of 50 pounds, a huge amount in that economy.
Astounded at such a generous gift, Taylor asked, “Did you not mean to give me 5 pounds? Please let me return this, for it is for 50 pounds.”
The Count was just as astonished as Taylor, but nevertheless said, “I cannot take it back. 5 pounds was what I meant to give, but God must have intended you to have 50. I cannot take it back.”
Hudson would only have to contemplate this unlikely event until he reached his home. There, he found his family and friends in a special session of prayer, fervently asking God for help. The team was praying over a shortage of funds required for another monthly allotment headed to China. They were short 49 pounds, 11 shillings.
Now…Hudson knew why God had caused his Russian friend to give 50 pounds instead of 5.
Over and over again, these kinds of testimonies sprang from Taylor’s ministry. But shouldn’t they?! After all, the faithful prayers of Hudson Taylor and his team were in complete agreement with the words of Jesus from John 14:11-14.
Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.
Hudson Taylor took Jesus at His word, and as a result, China was changed forever.
Resource’s Origin:
Hudson Taylor’s Spiritual Secrets by Howard and Geraldine Taylor. Discovery House, 1990, Pages 230-231.
Topics Illustrated Include:
China
Faith
Faithful
Generosity
Gifts
God’s Provision
Help
Jesus’ Teachings
Mission Trip
Missionary
Missions
Money
Prayer
Strategy
Testimony
Trusting God
(Resource cataloged by David R Smith)
