Life lessons from Corrie ten Boom - part 1Sample

Prayer works

Psalm 122:6 (NIV)

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: May those who love you be secure.”

Did you ever read a Bible verse that kind of jumped off the page and you knew with an inner certainty: “I should not only read this. I should actually apply and obey this verse in my life?” 

 In 1844, Willem ten Boom, Corrie’s grandfather read Psalm 122:6 and it struck him as a command to obey. He invited several friends in Haarlem to join a weekly prayer group to pray for the peace of Jerusalem and the Jewish population. This was very exceptional in those days. In his church people were not used to having prayer meetings. Loving the Jews was not obvious either. The Jews, at that time, were scattered all over the world and often lived under very difficult circumstances. There was no state of Israel yet. 

The prayer group continued for 100 years and Willem’s son Casper and Casper’s children and grandchildren faithfully took over. Exactly one hundred years later in 1944, their prayers were answered in a very special way. 

From 1941 onwards, the family Ten Boom started to help Jewish people who were forced to go on transport to concentration camps during the Second World War. Eighty people found a hiding place for some days, weeks or months. Eight hundred people were helped with ration coupons, new identification papers etcetera. 

On the 28th of February the family Ten Boom was taken to prison and a few months later to concentration camps. Four of them died as result of their love and compassion for their Jewish fellow-men.

When God urges and calls us to pray for something or someone, we should not be surprised if He involves us in answering our prayers.

Questions 

• Do you believe that the Lord can speak personally to you through His Word? 
• Do you believe that the Lord invites you to answer in obedience? 
• Can you recall a situation in which this has happened?

Prayer

Father, thank you that You are able to speak to me daily through Your Word and Your Spirit. Show me where You invite me to obey You. Thank You for empowering me to do as You command.