The Hiding Place

A friend lent me the book, The Hiding Place , a number of months back. Although I was familiar with Corrie Ten Boom's story, I had never read the book. So, as things were slower this week, I picked it up and breezed right through it. What a great book! I think it would be beneficial for anyone to read and see how the Ten Boom family lived their beliefs moment by moment, day by day. The story basically chronicles a brief history of the Ten Booms with a focus on the years of WWII and then beyond till the end of Corrie's life. The Ten Booms lived in Holland and although they were not Jewish, assisted many Jews there during the Nazi oppression. Eventually they were arrested and the two sisters ended up in a concentration camp. Rather than becoming discouraged and giving up, thinking that God could not be in control because of their terrible circumstances, they brought God's word into that awful place and with it hope and peace to many of the prisoners there. Here is one quote that I particularly appreciated:

Life in Ravensbruck took place on two separate levels, mutually impossible. One, the observable, external life, grew every day more horrible. The other, the life we lived with God, grew daily better, truth upon truth, glory upon glory. Sometimes I would slip the Bible from its little sack with hands that shook, so mysterious had it become to me. It was new; it had just been written. I marveled sometimes that the ink was dry. I had believed the Bible always, but reading it now had nothing to do with belief. It was simply a description of the way things were - of hell and heaven, of how men act and how God acts. I had read a thousand times the story of Jesus' arrest - how soldiers had slapped Him, laughed at Him, flogged Him. Now such happenings had faces and voices. 

I liked that quote because it showed how much her difficult circumstances caused her to see the Bible in such an incredible, vivid, real light. I think our easy circumstances often cause us to see the Bible in such an unnecessary light...we're doing well enough on our own. But, when everything is stripped away, we realize our utter need for God. So, if you haven't already read this, go out and get it - you won't be disappointed. :)