AFTER WORLD WAR IL, my friends and I organized a former concentration
6. The Foolishness of God
AFTER WORLD WAR IL, my friends and I organized a former concentration camp in Germany as a shelter for the homeless. Once, when I went there, I found a man (a lawyer) who was seriously ill. I asked him if he knew the Lord Jesus. "No," he said, "as long as I do not understand things with my brains, I cannot believe them."
Thad a talk with him and I told him that in the Book of 1 Corinthians, chapters one and two tell us about the wisdom of the wise and the foolishness of God. "In the Bible," I said, "you can read very much about the foolishness of God. It is the highest wisdom. It is more important than the wisdom of the wise, because it is only through this that you get the real vision."
It was some weeks later that once more I was in our camp and IJ went straight to my friend. He was even more ill than the first time I had seen him. I asked, "What do you think of the foolishness of God?"
"T can praise the Lord, for I have seen that it is the greatest wisdom. I have thrown away my pride and I have come to Jesus as a sinner and asked forgiveness. I thank Him for His death on the cross, and I can tell you that He has brought into my heart a peace that passes all understanding. It surpasses everything of the wisdom of the wise, but it is the greatest reality I have ever experienced in my life. lam so thankful for the Bible. During these weeks I have read much in it and I do not fear the future, whatever happens."
Neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:38, 39
For the first time I saw him look really happy!
... hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?. ... Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
1 Corinthians 1:20, 25
IN THE CONCENTRATION camp, a girl once came to me and said, "Please, will you come to Alice a moment? She has such terrible nights. While we sleep, she always turns from one side to the other. She suffers. I don't know what it is. Can you help her?"
"Sure," I said, "I can help her. I can pray for her. But lam busy here with a group. We are studying a portion of the Bible. In a quarter of an hour I will come to Alice."
When I went to her, I saw that she had fallen asleep. She was very restless, tossing from one side to the other. I spoke softly to her, but she did not hear me. Then I prayed and said, "Lord Jesus, You can fill Alice's heart with Your peace. You can fill her subconscious with Your love and then she will sleep well."
As I said amen to that prayer, I saw that Alice was quiet. She slept and I knew that the Lord had answered my prayer.
The next morning, my friend who had called me the day before said, "Oh, Corrie, it was a joy that Alice slept so well. She was so quiet—and I know that God has answered your prayer."
That day Alice died, but I had enjoyed an experience that has given me much courage. When we pray, every word we say is heard by the Lord, and I even read in the Book of Revelation that our prayers are kept in heaven. Our intercession is so important!
Often we cannot reach the others, but the Lord can reach everyone. What a joy to have such a Saviour!
#2 pray one forianother . ....
James 5:16
§. Tommy
HE WAS ONE ofa big family. I believe there were fourteen children. Tommy was at a special school for mentally handicapped persons. I gave Bible lessons in that school.
Sometimes I visited Tommy in his home. When I asked where he was his mother always said, "He's in his room upstairs." I knew where to find him—in the little corner of the attic that was his "room." It was nothing more than a bed and a chair. On the chair there was always a small picture of Jesus on the cross.
I remember that once when I visited him, Tommy was on his knees before that chair. His face was full of joy. "Tommy, why are you so happy?" I asked.
"Because Jesus loves me!" he said. "And I love Jesus. He died on the cross for me and my sins, and now I have forgiveness."
His mother told me that Tommy always went straight to his little room when he came home. It was quiet there—a corner of peace in the rather small house. With so many children, the house was often noisy.
One day she found him with his head on the chair. In his hand was the picture of Jesus. Tommy did not move. He was with the Lord.
I'm sure that when he died, he must have felt great joy, because Jesus ioved him and had died for him on the cross—and he knew it! Do you know it, too? Jesus, who loved Tommy, loves you just as much.
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
John 3:16