The mistake of Christians is in not praying over little things.  “The hairs of your head are all numbered.”  Consult God about everything.  Expect His counsel, His guidance, His care, His provision, His deliverance, His blessing, in everything.  Does not the expression, “Our daily bread,” mean just this?  Can there be any true life of faith that does not include this?  Whatever will serve to help God’s children to a better understanding of the blessed privileges of prayer, and prove to them the reality of God’s answering prayer in the cares, trials and troubles of daily life, will approve itself to all thoughtful minds as a blessing to them and an honor to God.  It is the purpose of this volume to do this.  We are more helped by testimony to facts than by theories and doctrines.  When we have illustrations before our eyes of God’s care for his children, and His response to their faith, even in the minutest things, we understand the meaning of His promises and the reality of His providences.

The writer had many thoughts in this line suggested to him by an incident, with which he was connected, in the life of George Muller.  It was my happiness to cross the Atlantic in the company of this dear brother on the steamship Sardinian, from Quebec to Liverpool, in June, 1880.

I met Mr. Muller in the express office the morning of sailing, about half an hour before the tender was to take the passengers to the ship.  He asked of the agent if a deck chair had arrived for him from New York.  He was answered, No, and told that it could not possibly come in time for the steamer.  I had with me a chair I had just purchased and told Mr. Muller of the place near by, where I had obtained it, and suggested that as but a few moments remained he had better buy one at once.  His reply was, “No, my brother, Our Heavenly Father will send the chair from New York.  It is one used by Mrs. Muller, as we came over, and left in New York when we landed.  I wrote ten days ago to a brother who promised to see it forwarded here last week.  He has not been prompt as I would have desired, but I am sure Our Heavenly Father will send the chair.  Mrs. Muller is very sick upon the sea, and has particularly desired to have this same chair, and not finding it here yesterday when we arrived, as we expected, we have made special prayer that Our Heavenly Father would be pleased to provide it for us, and we will trust Him to do so.”  As this dear man of God went peacefully on board the tender, running the risk of Mrs. Muller making the voyage without a chair, when for a couple of dollars she could have been provided for, I confess I feared Mr. Muller was carrying his faith principles too far and not acting wisely.