Your Place in the Family Matters!

Yesterday, a friend shared a story about how God had prepared something for his family literally thousands of years ago, that has come to light this week. It was held throughout the generations, set aside and forgotten, and was waiting for the right time to be revealed and used to bless others.

It reminded me of the trip Dan and I made with our son to Haarlem, Netherlands, a few years ago. We were on our way to Kenya and had a 24-hour layover through Amsterdam. It was my birthday. One of my faith heroes since childhood is Corrie Ten Boom. So, during that layover, we visited Haarlem and toured the Ten Boom house & museum.

For those who are not familiar, the Ten Boom family was instrumental in saving the lives of many Jewish people during Hitler’s purges in World War II. They built a safe room, secreted ration cards, and funneled people toward safety at great risk to themselves. Eventually, they were discovered, arrested, taken to the concentration camps, and Corrie was the only surviving member of her household when the camps were liberated. Through her family’s sacrifice, it is estimated that over 800 people were saved.

As awe-inspiring as it was to see the tiny hidden room up flights of narrow staircase where the family rescued so many, it was the family portraits in the sitting room that stick with me. It is the story of how this family came to make such a sacrifice, almost as a matter of course. When the time came to act, they were found ready, waiting, and prepared to unquestioningly give their lives for others.

How?

Generations before, Corrie Ten Boom’s great-grandfather believed the word of God. He began a daily practice of praying for the peace of Jerusalem and the salvation of God’s chosen. He taught his children to pray for and love the People of the Book. His children taught their children. Corrie’s father became the one who taught his daughters to daily read the Word of God and love people the way Jesus loved. Their lives exemplified it; they held Bible studies in their home, were active in caring for the disabled and needy in their community, and prayed for the Jewish people.

So, when evil came to wreak destruction, it was not a great leap for them to act on behalf of innocents. It was not a matter of weighing risk and reward and tentatively stepping out. They boldly transformed their home, defied the world’s powers, and did what was right before their God.

God has been preparing things before you so that you, too, can step into what He has planned. If you feel that you are being asked to do something way out of your depth, look around! I promise you that He has set provision in place well in advance. The beauty is that he is also using you to prepare things for generations yet to come.
​
Make no mistake: what you do matters. How you follow Him has impact you may never see. If you are feeling small, forgotten, and unimportant, remember that you are part of the plan for the whole of His Creation that He is weaving into a beautiful tapestry. Every tiny thread helps to hold the whole together. How awesome is our God!