01 November 2013

Great Need? Great God!

Corrie Ten Boom's book The Hiding Place is one of the most influential books I've ever read. If you haven't read it, I urge you to do so. It is utterly compelling, and will transform your thoughts on forgiveness.

Yet as well as The Hiding Place Corrie wrote several other books, one of which was a collection of short devotionals for each day of the year.

You know a book is saying something of value when it stands the test of time.  Each New Day was originally published thirty-six years ago.  It has been reprinted more than a dozen times since. 

Corrie wrote of it, "A person is either a missionary or a mission field.  Sometimes I wrote for Christians who know that they are called to be a light of the World.  On other days God gave me a message about what it means to come to him...  I know that the Lord gave me these words.  They are from him who loves you and who spoke through me to you."

Here is the entry for 9 October (the date on which I prepared this post):

There are great lessons to learn concerning faith and the nature of character of faith when you read in the Bible about the disciples.  I am grateful for the record of every mistake they ever made and for every blunder they committed.  I see myself in them.  The Bible speaks the truth and shows and pictures every human frailty.

And he said to them, "Why are you afraid, O men of little faith?"  Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.
Matthew 8: 26 RSV

Lord, thank you that you do not ask a great faith, but faith in a great God.