...................................................................................................................................................................
The Watchmaker’s
Faith
Corrie Ten Boom believed what God says over what her
eye could see
Lisa
Telling HIStory
“Faith is like radar that sees through the fog — to
the reality of things at a distance that the human eye cannot see.” Corrie Ten Boom
As
World War II raged on throughout Europe, Corrie Ten Boom and her family could
not put their faith in what their eyes could see.
They
had to look beyond what surrounded them in their little watch shop, to their
faith in the God they loved and served.
The
Ten Booms lived in the Netherlands, creating watches in their shop where they
also lived.
Theirs
was a family who loved Christ and offered their lives to His service, whatever
the cost.
Corrie’s
father was a man of great courage, reaching out to Jewish people in their
suffering and mistreatment under German rule.
It
would later cost him his life in a concentration camp.
During
those dark times, Corrie and her family, along with those they sought to
protect who were hiding behind walls in their home, must have wondered each day
how long the war would rage on, while the watches displayed in their shop
ticked away the minutes.
But
the family had surrendered the outcome of their deeds of love to their loving
God.
On
a bleak winter’s day in February of 1944, the Ten Boom family was arrested
after being betrayed.
Corrie
and her sister Betsie were taken by force to the infamous concentration camp in
Germany known as Ravensbruck.
Betsie
would die there, but Corrie would be liberated and go on to become a writer,
sharing her love of God and her faith in Him on the written page and in the
actions of her long life until she died on her 91st birthday.
Corrie’s
heart was full of gratitude and love for God and the life that He had blessed
her with, despite her years of heartache and fear, grief and loneliness.
Today,
her words of faith still resound, often quoted by others.
How
was she able to enjoy her life and forgive those who had abused her and caused
the death of her beloved sister and brave father?
Corrie
Ten Boom believed what God says over what her eye could see, fixing her gaze on
Him:
“That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are
dying, our inner strength in the Lord is growing every day.
“These troubles and sufferings of ours are, after all,
quite small and won’t last very long. Yet this short time of distress will
result in God’s richest blessing upon us forever and ever!
“So, we do not look at what we can see right now, the
troubles all around us, but we look forward to the joys in heaven which we have
not yet seen. The troubles will soon be over, but the joys to come will last
forever.” 2 Corinthians 4:16-18
We
still need faith like the watchmaker’s today. Though we face different
adversities than Corrie and her family faced, having faith in God is more
valuable than gold.
When
you feel as though a fog of the unknown surrounds you, put your faith in the
one Who waits beyond what you see to comfort, strengthen, and bless you, too.
About Lisa
My husband Dan and I have
three children and three grandchildren. We live in central Illinois. I am a
graduate of The Institute of Children's Literature, a member of
faithwriters.com, and a member of SCBWI. My writings have been published at
chirstiandevotions.us, in DevotionMagazine, the PrairieWind Newsletter, and
here at thebottomline.co.
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