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The Bible and The Fleas
by Abby Kelly "give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:18 How special is God's Word to you? Have you ever wondered what life might be like if you didn't have it? Did you know that in North Korea it is illegal to own a Bible? And in many other countries, it is very difficult to obtain a Bible. In some places, owning a Bible might cost a person his or her life. Corrie ten Boom was a young woman who faced some of these very difficult circumstances with bravery, hope and most of all, prayer. Corrie lived in Holland during World War II. Her family were devoted Christians and when Nazi Germany began to arrest, deport and harm the Jewish people, Corrie and her family secretively hid as many Jews as they could in their own home. But in February 1944, the Gestapo raided Corrie's home; she and her family were arrested and sent to prison camps. In her biography, The Hiding Place, Corrie tells a story about her time in the prison camp and shares how very precious God's Word was to her. She had managed to sneak a Bible into the camp with her, even though it was not allowed. "Yet, in the midst of the suffering, the women prisoners around Corrie and Betsie found comfort in the little Bible studies they held in the barracks. Corrie writes they gathered around the Bible "like waifs clustered around a blazing fireThe blacker the night around us grew, the brighter and truer and more beautiful burned the Word of God." (theprayercoach.com) After a while, the guards moved the girls to a new barracks. They were filthy and infested with fleas. Corrie felt discouraged and hopeless, but Betsie pointed out that the Bible says we should give thanks in all circumstances. As they prayed together, Betsie thanked God for the fleas! Corrie thought her sister was crazy, but a short time later, she joined Betsie in thanking God. Because of the fleas, none of the guards would come near the barracks where the two sisters were held with dozens of other women. In those cells, they held Bible studies freely, without fear of the guards catching and punishing them. God, thank you for allowing us to own and read your Holy Word. Thank you for parents and teachers who have the freedom to teach us about you, and thank you that we are able to freely tell others about you, too. Teach us to be thankful always for this privilege and to pray for those who don't have access to your Word. Help us to treat your Word with respect and honor. Learn more about me on my website: http://predatory-lies.com/about-me/ Please find my book on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Surviving-Predatory-Lies-Anorexia-Kelly-ebook/dp/B00HFGMBJA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1389645006&sr=8-1&keywords=predatory+lies Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com |