Dana's Christian Journey

I won’t write next week as school is out. I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas! May the Light of Christ burn brightly in our lives as many remember the birth of our Savior.

Our daughter Kinsey and her husband Jordan named their newest daughter Corrie Mae Stanley. Having both recently read ‘The Hiding Place’ and ‘Tramp For the Lord,’ the baby was named for Corrie ten Boom, a single, short-of-stature Dutch lady who God used to spread His Light.

Casper ten Boom was a man of God, a student of the Bible, and the town’s watchmaker. On April 19, 1892, as he and his wife Cornelia looked upon newborn Corrie, they could have never imagined the future.

• As World War II raged, the ten Booms became a part of the Dutch resistance and helped hide and rescue over 800 Jews from capture. They welcomed ‘God’s chosen people’ into their home with open arms despite the danger.
• On February 28, 1944, Casper, Corrie, and sister Betsie were betrayed, arrested, and sent to prison. Casper died ten days later; he was 84 years old.
• While in two different concentration camps, Betsie and Corrie shared the love and hope of Jesus with many prisoners. Betsie always reminded her younger sister that ‘there is no pit so deep that God is not deeper still.’
• Due to a clerical error, Corrie was released from Ravensbrook on December 28, 1944, twelve days after Betsie died of sickness in the horrible conditions of the camp. She made her way back to the Netherlands and served the mentally handicapped.
• On December 12, 1967, Corrie ten Boom was honored as one of the ‘Righteous Among the Nations’ by the Yad Vashem Remembrance Authority of Israel for saving Jews.
• Until her death at age 91 on her birthday in 1983, God allowed Corrie to share the Light of the world with people of all backgrounds in over 60 countries on 6 continents.
• Almost 130 years after Corrie’s birth in Haarlem, Netherlands, a couple in Marietta, Georgia named their baby girl after an imperfect, brave woman who listened to her Savior’s voice and shared His message.

Though miracles surrounded His conception and birth, as Mary and Joseph looked upon their newborn Child in a manger, they could not have totally imagined the future.

• The Child would grow up to be the greatest Teacher of all time.
• The carpenter’s Son would have a special place in His heart for children, for the broken, and for the poor.
• He would be criticized for eating in the homes of sinners, touching and healing the sick, and giving sight to the blind.
• The Rabbi from Nazareth would refer to Himself as the ‘Son of Man.’ He confronted hypocrisy and evil, and proved He had authority over Satan by casting out demons and setting captives free.
• Jesus would also call Himself the Good Shepherd who came to seek and save the lost.
• The Child born in Bethlehem would not only fulfill numerous prophecies from the Old Testament, He would fulfill the entire Law of God.
• The Blood of the Baby in the manger would one day pay for all the sins of mankind.
• After dying a cruel death on a Roman cross, Jesus would be buried in a borrowed tomb, then rise on the third day as the One who conquered death.
• After 40 days, Christ ascended into the clouds as His disciples watched. Now He sits next to His Father waiting for the Day He returns to take God’s children home.

Only our heavenly Father knows the future of every child. We are called to trust and obey as He fulfills His plans.

“And Mary said: ‘My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for He has been mindful of the humble state of His servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the mighty One has done great things for me — holy is His name. His mercy extends to those who fear Him, from generation to generation. He has performed mighty deeds with His arm; He has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. He has helped His servant Israel, remembering to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants forever, just as He promised our ancestors.’” Luke 1:46=55

Don’t we have just as much trouble accepting Jesus’ instruction about ‘greatness’ as the apostles did? Become like a child… Be the least… Become the servant of all… Sell all your possessions… Be willing to be last… What kind of teaching is this?

Jesus might answer: ‘You must accept My Father’s way; He does not think like man does. Faith is His requirement… and one cannot really trust God when he is full of self. To gain, one must give up. To be strong, one must become weak. To be victorious, one must surrender. Did I not follow My Father’s path? I am Lord, yet I came to earth as a child. I am King, yet I became a servant. I am omnipotent, yet I laid down My life for all mankind. Now My Father has given Me the Name above names and I am inviting you to follow Me.’

Even a person who seems to be last when chosen must be changed. The fishermen had no wealth or prominence when they were called, but their desire to be ‘the greatest’ was often evident. Though they saw the glory of the Lord, witnessed His miracles, and walked with the Master, competition often raised its ugly head. At His last Passover meal, Jesus revealed the deep meaning of the Bread and the Wine… “Then they began to argue among themselves about who would be the greatest among them.” (Luke 22:24)

Saul of Tarsus had a different background. He was a Pharisee of Pharisees… brilliant, zealous, and confident. But he had no hope without Jesus. The King revealed Himself, blinded his eyes, and filled a penitent man with the Holy Spirit. (see Acts 9) Then, as the ‘new creation,’ Paul began his decline into true greatness. “I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things…” (Philippians 3:8)

Who boasts like Paul today? Who cries: ‘Come! Follow Jesus and lose everything! Become of no reputation; be despised and rejected by others; be misunderstood; be the least…’? But Paul saw the Way: “I consider all these things garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ — the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.” (Philippians 3:9)

None of us have hope without Jesus. Peter, Andrew, James, John, and Paul trusted Him and came to understand God’s greatness. Our Lord and Savior is the Way!

“The greatest among you will be your servant. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” Matthew 23:11-12

“He called a little child and had him stand among them. And He said: ‘I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.’” Matthew 18:2-4

I won’t write next week as we celebrate a holiday… Happy Thanksgiving!