Tuesday, October 2, 2007

Do You Have Your Ticket?

This summer I kept hearing people to refer to Corrie Ten Boom and her books. Ann Kroeker wrote a great post about giving thanks in all things, then my minister mentioned it, and someone in my Sunday school class talked about it. I had read The Hiding Place in 7th grade and still remembered the highlights. But as I kept hearing people refer to the book, I figured it was a time for a reread.

Oh, I am so glad I did. The Hiding Place is such an inspiring book. If you haven't read it, I highly, highly recommend it. In 7th grade, I enjoyed it for it's insight into WWII, the personal account of the concentration camps, and the hope of people trying to help the Jews while being faithful to God. Now a few decades past 7th grade, it speaks to me on an entirely different level. What an amazing story and testimony of God.

There's a little snippet early in The Hiding Place that has really stuck with me lately. Corrie, her mother, and sister visit a poor family that has lost a newborn. It breaks her heart and brings the reality of death close to her. As she pours out her sorrow and doubt of how she can handle any of life's difficulties to her father he asks her a simple question.



"Corrie," he began gently, "when you and I go to Amsterdam-when do I give
you your ticket?"



I sniffed a few times considering this.



"Why, just before we get on the train."



"Exactly. And our wise Father in heaven knows when we're going to need things, too. Don't run out ahead of Him, Corrie. When the time comes that some of us will have to die, you will look into your heart and find the strength you need-just in time."

It's true. God is enough. He is enough for whatever we may face in this life. We may not know we have the strength or the skills to accomplish what He sets before us, but He knows He will work through us. Just at the moment we need Him - He will be there.

I can't begin to relate how this has built and soothed my faith. How it has reminded me that no matter what I attempt in this life, God is enough. He will accomplish His good works through me and sometimes even in spite of me. He'll always be there when I need my ticket.

Well, that's enough spouting for one day. Join me for Part 2 tomorrow. Beth Moore spoke on this subject this summer, and it's all been perculating to the point of bursting in my subconcious.

2 comments:

Kelly said...

One of my favorite stories in scripture is how God gave the Israelites in the desert just enough manna for THAT day, no more and no less. If they took more than one day's portion, it would spoil and be worthless. Just what they needed for that day.

I think God still gives us just enough for that day, but we get so greedy for more of God's blessings than we are currently ready for.

Great post!

Anonymous said...

I *love* this quote--thank you for alerting me to your post! I also love the comment above about the manna. It's a great biblical comparison. God gives us just what we need, when we need it, at the moment we need it; very rarely do we get it way in advance (though sometimes). Maybe to live in such a way that we have to believe we will receive what we need when we need it helps us to really walk by faith daily.

I quote that all the time, the ticket thing, and forgot where it came from. In fact, just last weekend I was retelling the story. Now I can appropriately attribute it to Corrie's book.