Posted on 02/23/2012 1:51:26 PM PST by pastorbillrandles
As a family we have been reading an incredibly helpful and moving book, called the Hiding Place, by Corrie Ten Boom. It is the true account of a christian family in in Nazi occupied Holland, sent to concentration camps for the crime of harboring Jews in their home.
The two unmarried sisters, Corrie and Betsie, both in their fifties, were living with their godly Father, Kasper Ten Boom, when the Nazi war machine rolled into their lives, bringing death and turmoil to their formerly comfortable and predictable lives.
Because they loved Jesus and the Word of God, they opened their home as a refuge to those fleeing the horrifyingly systematic search and destroy apparatus of the Nazi’s. Especially the Jews. I can’t recommend this book enough, for families, but I wouldn’t read it to children any younger than twelve.
I have excerpted this moving passage , from a few years after the war. Corrie, the lone family survivor of the horrible camps, has given her testimony at a church in Munich, Germany. A former guard and tormentor ,to both she and her sister, approached her, apparently not recognizing her as one of his own captives,
It was at a church service in Munich that I saw him, a former S.S. man who had stood guard at the shower room door in the processing center at Ravensbruck. He was the first of our actual jailers that I had seen since that time. And suddenly it was all there—the roomful of mocking men [gawking at our nakedness], the heaps of clothing, Betsie’s pain-blanched face.
He came up to me as the church was emptying, beaming and bowing. “How grateful I am for your message, Fraulein.” He said. “To think that, as you say, He has washed my sins away!” His hand was thrust out to shake mine. And I, who had preached so often…the need to forgive, kept my hand at my side.
Even as the angry, vengeful , [fearful] thoughts boiled through me, I saw the sin of them. Jesus Christ had died for this man; was I going to ask for more? “Lord Jesus, I prayed, forgive me and help me to forgive him.” I tried to smile, I struggled to raise my hand. I could not. I felt nothing, not the slightest spark of warmth or charity. And so again I breathed a silent prayer.
“Jesus,” I prayed, “I cannot forgive him. Give me your forgiveness.”
As I took his hand the most incredible thing happened. From my shoulder along my arm and through my hand a current seemed to pass from me to him, while into my heart sprang a love for this stranger that almost overwhelmed me.
And so I discovered that it is not on our forgiveness any more than on our goodness that the world’s healing hinges, but on his. When he tells us to love our enemies, he gives, along with the command, the love itself. (The Hiding Place, Corrie Ten Boom, John and Elisabeth Sherril, Spire)
We need to remind us in this time of hatred, that God can give us Love for our worst enemies, Muslim terrorists, Socialists, communists who hate and want to destroy our way of life, still need to get a glimpse of what God is like, they need to see the love of Jesus in us.
Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.(Romans 12:19-21)
Could you get the Moderator to correct the Header?
Grater - as in cheese;) To Greater - as in God?
That headline makes us look like idiots.
Wow,My Bad!
religion moderator, would you be good enough to change this title to “greater”, I am sorry but I goofed, and now look like an idiot!
Don’t fret- Jesus is a Grater of hate. He grates hatred into mush and throws it as far as the east is from the west.
Now that’s the way to make lemonade out of lemons! :)
Well it’s certainly is getting some attention;) You did it on purpose didn’t you?
The story is inspiring. Thank you for posting.
I read that book when I was going through a great dark time in my life. We here could only hope to serve Jesus they way that family did. It showed me forgiveness, and how I needed to forgive everyone who had hurt or abandoned me. It was easier said than done...but with time and and like she said, His mercy...I did forgive...and it set me free. I slowly came out of my anger and depression and smiled and laughed once again.
Praise God! May all the glory and honor go to The Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
If somebody had done to you...what happened to them....could you forgive?
When posting headlines, cut & paste is your friend
NICE!!!!! Thanks for the ‘spin help’ your hired!LOL
Gotcha!Thanks
sorry about that, I’ll take the blame and be the idiot- my fault- not the rest of you!
shhhhhhhh!
“The Hiding Place” is one of the greatest living, real life stories of out life time.(I’m almost 78).The Ten Booms were living proofs of faithful Christian living during World War 2.
I took my sons, plus our Sunday school class to see the movie back in middle 70s.
We still have the book,and the video tapes in our home and watch it on a regular basis.
We highly recommend all Christian familes to read and watch this living true life story.
Thank you for your article!
Wow, that’s an amazing testimony. What a great post.
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