Dateline: Monday, July 7, 2008
Corrie Ten Boom...read her books!
If you have read and loved "The Hiding Place",don't forget to go on and read her other books as well! If you haven't read "The Hiding Place", *run* to your library and get your hands on a copy! Corrie truly was, and is still, used by God. I so regret that I grew up not knowing about her work or her books. I'm almost as amazed at the things she did after she was in the concentration camp, as I am at how she lived through that awful experience with such faith, and love, peace, and forgiveness!
Her books helped affirm so many things that God has been trying to teach me all these years, yet, for me, stubbornly, and sinfully, I'd still let watching other people or circumstances get me focusing on just that.."people or circumstances", and not in a good way. Her life and work are such an example of how circumstances, and how bad things look around us, aren't what we are called to focus on. She was living proof for having faith that God is working in all things, and that we as Christians have the blessing to be able to focus on being used by Him to spread HIS word and love during times that appear dark, and He is taking care of the rest. He doesn't ask for much from us, but we can make life so difficult by leaning to our own understanding. I have SO far to go, but God's peace is priceless!
What lessons Corrie teaches us on forgiveness! Forgiveness is such a beautiful thing, and not only a sweet release for our own selves (a gift from God), but also something God commands us to have in our hearts if we want to be forgiven by Him. No....we can't always muster it up ourselves, or forget the past, but God, who can do all things, will bestow it in us and on us if we truly desire it and ask! It is HIS peace, forgiveness, and strength to do His will that lives in us, not our own. We just have to surrender our will to His. Corrie didn't focus on circumstances or what appeared to be happening around her, but on what she could do for the Lord and others with her time here NOW. Whether her time on earth end today, tomorrow, or many years later, wasn't her concern (she was ready to meet Jesus when he saw fit) but that there were souls needing Jesus, and that God had work for her to do. She always turned right back to His word and prayer if doubt started to creep in, and didn't allow herself to keep focusing on how things looked around her. I wish I could have known her, and worked with her! I could NEVER even hope to be like her, but I do appreciate her work, wisdom, and great faith in God's provision and will for his people. Her needs were always met in a miraculous way during those years in the camp and in her travels around the world. I pray for faith like hers!