The Hiding Place

When I read a book I really like it takes weeks for me to recover. What I mean by that is that is that the chances of me quoting that book, sharing a story from that book, or suggesting you read the book at least once in every conversation are very high. Poor Josh. He probably misses his high school days of summer reading when AP English teachers did not request as much reading as I do. :)

The book that I am going to quote, tell stories from, and suggest you read is "The Hiding Place" by Corrie Ten Boom. Mammy (that would be Josh's grandma) gave me this book for my birthday a couple of years ago and I have just now gotten around to reading it. I don't know if this ever happens to you, but I feel like God leads me to read certain books at certain times. When I first got the book I read the first chapter and that was it. I can't remember if I just didn't have time to read or if I started reading something else, but I didn't get past the first chapter. Then a couple of weekends ago I picked it up and I could not put it down. While my body sat in the recliner with laundry piled up and kids playing all around me, my mind wandered into 1937's Holland.

Corrie Ten Boom was an "old maid" who lived with her father and sister Betsie who also never married. They worked with their father in his watch shop and Miss Boom actually became the first licensed woman watchmaker in Holland. They lived a simple life that included daily Bible reading and showing hospitality to those in their community. Their lives became extraordinary when through numerous circumstances their house became a hiding place for many Jews during Germany's invasion of Holland. The risk they took in not only opening their home, but also working "underground" to assist other Jews in finding safe places eventually led to the arrest of Corrie, her sister, and her father.

While I have always been interested in Holocaust history, I have also found it very difficult to spend much time studying it. This story definitely brings to life the evil that this time in history displayed, but at the same time offers such encouragement and hope that you can't help but see God's hand along the way. The faith that the Ten Boom family demonstrated during the time of their imprisonment serves as a challenge and an example for all Christians. I feel that God led me to read this book at this time because I have found myself questioning what it means to be a Christian in this world today. What should I look like as a Christian? How should I act? Should I try to act a certain way to attract people to Christianity or should I be completely set apart and different to the point that people just think I am weird? What do I need to do to accomplish great things for God?

Reading "The Hiding Place" I felt overwhelmed by the message that loving God and serving others is still what we as Christians are called to do. Obeying God, even when that becomes risky or dangerous, is still what He requires. Bringing glory to Him no matter how bleak the circumstance is still our purpose. Giving thanks in all situations and forgiving ALL who have hurt is still our command. Seeing every person we encounter as a soul in need of the Good News of Jesus is still our commision.

This book offers us a glimpse at Christianity at work. It doesn't offer intelligent debates, snotty elitism, or spiritual ignorance. It shows in real life how this Christianity thing is supposed to work. This book also increased my appreciation for the comforts we take for granted. When Corrie was finally released from prison I could literally feel the warm water of her first bath and the crisp, clean sheets of her bed. In fact, it left me wondering if we are just a little too comfortable these days and not concerned enough for those who don't know the comforts, both spiritual and physical, that we do.

I can honestly say that after reading this I prayed that God would allow me to be used for His Kingdom the way He used the Ten Booms. I quickly had to follow that prayer with another prayer that He would give me the strength, faith, and courage it would take be to used in that way because I know I don't currently have it.

Mostly this story left me with great gratitude that the same God who worked and showed His Glory in a concentration camp in Nazi Germany is still working and showing His Glory today. That same God who was a "hiding place" for His Children then, is still a hiding place for me today.