The Sacredness of the Lord's Money

The following practical and instructive words come from George Muller's autobiography/ journal entry dated January 4, 1870:

"[Received a donation] for Missions 10s. 8d., with the following:--

"'This has been saved by little and little from my small trade since I last wrote to you. Many times, while this has been saved, my house has been without bread; but I would not take it; I looked upon it as the Lord's money. And though there was no bread in the house, I would not mistrust His goodness to provide.   When in such a position, my soul has been much blessed, in waiting for a manifestation of the Lord's goodness.'

"May I request the reader to read again this letter. I delight in recording it. If we are faithful to God, it will not be in vain.  Many hundreds of times I have been in a similar position with regard to great necessities, either for myself or the Orphans, from the year 1830 to 1848, when I would not take money, which had been laid by for rent, or was due for other purposes, or was the Lord's in some shape or other, and therefore continued to wait upon God: and He always helped me.

"But suppose I had acted in a different way, and said, I am in great need ; may I not take of the money, which has been set apart, and God can help me to refund it shortly? The result would have been that with every fresh instance of using the money, so set apart, my faith would have been weakened, and at last I should have found myself in the greatest difficulties : whilst, doing as I did, by God's grace, my faith in Him increased with every fresh deliverance He was graciously pleased to work for me. It is verily blessed to see God's hand stretched out on our behalf, when in very great need!"