Can God…? 10,000 Miles of Miracle in Britain
“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more
than all we ask or imagine, according to his power
that is at work within us…”
Ephesians 3:20
In 1934, a young evangelist named J. Edwin Orr published a small book with a bold title and an even bolder story: Can God…? Subtitled 10,000 Miles of Miracle in Britain, it tells the true story of how Orr traveled across the British Isles—on a bicycle, without money or formal backing—proclaiming the gospel and calling people to revival.
What makes the book remarkable is not just the story it tells, but the faith it embodies. Born out of prayer meetings in Belfast among a group of spiritually hungry young men, the book was an answer to their yearning for more than business-as-usual religion. These men weren’t just looking for better sermons or busier churches—they were praying for God to move again in their generation, just as He had in past revivals.
Orr responded with action. With little more than a bicycle and burning conviction, he set off to proclaim the good news and stir hearts to pray. His journey was marked by divine appointments, answered prayers, and open doors—often just in time. He slept in fields, spoke in chapels, and leaned entirely on the provision of God. The 10,000 miles he covered were a physical testament to the spiritual terrain he crossed.
But before Can God…? ever inspired a reader, it was rejected—seventeen times. Publishers saw no market for a book about revival, faith, and answered prayer. Yet Orr persisted, convinced that the story wasn’t his—it was God’s. Eventually, one publisher said yes. The book went on to sell hundreds of thousands of copies, stirring faith in readers across the world.
The title is taken from Psalm 78:19, where the Israelites asked in disbelief, “Can God spread a table in the wilderness?” It’s a question rooted in fear and forgetfulness, but it’s also one that God has answered over and over again—not with explanations, but with provision. Orr’s life became one such answer: Yes, God can. He can provide. He can revive. He can prepare a table in the wilderness—not only for a wandering people, but for a faith-filled traveler with nothing but trust.
More than a travelogue, Can God…? is a testimony. It reminds us that revival begins not with strategies but with surrender. It isn’t driven by personality, but by prayer. God delights to show Himself strong through the weak and dependent. As Orr once said, “When God is about to do a mighty new thing, He always sets His people praying.”
In a world that often whispers cynicism, Orr’s life and message still shout the question back at us: Can God…?
And the answer, then as now, resounds: Yes. God can.
Scripture Reflection
“Can God really spread a table in the wilderness?” – Psalm 78:19
Answer: Yes, God can!
Prayer
Lord, thank You for J. Edwin Orr’s bold and believing faith. When we face deserts in life—spiritual dryness, fear, uncertainty—remind us that You prepare tables in the wilderness. Teach us to walk by faith, to pray with expectation, and to believe that You are still doing miracles today. Let revival begin not out there, but here—in us. Amen.
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