10/24/2011

Corrie Ten Boom is a name that is synonymous with victimization…. the injustice and cruelty imposed on compassionate Christians by the Nazi war machine. The Ten Boom family was guilty of hiding Jews during the attempted elimination of the entire race by the Arians. Consequently, Corrie and her sister were subjected to the most inhumane treatment imaginable, by Hitler’s minions in a Nazi concentration camp. Corrie’s sister died just days before their liberation by the allied troops.

Years after the war, Corrie was speaking at an event in Switzerland and noticed a face in the crowd. It was one of the former Nazi guards from the concentration camp. She recognized him as one of the cruelest guards….one who had frequently ogled her and her sister when they were unclothed in the delousing shower. After Corrie spoke that evening on ‘forgiveness,’ the man came down to speak to her. Standing before her, he looked at her, extended his hand and asked, “Fraulein, can you forgive me?” Corrie states, “I stood there with coldness clutching at my heart. But I knew that the temperature of the heart does not have to control the will. And so, woodenly, mechanically I raised my hand to join his and said, ‘I forgive you with my whole heart.’ And immediately there was a warmth that began in our joined hands, raced up my arm and flooded my whole being.” She said, “NEVER HAVE I EXPERIENCED THE LOVE OF GOD SO COMPLETELY AS IN THAT MOMENT.” In other words, it was in the act of extending forgiveness to another from her heart, as an act of her will, that provided for Corrie Ten Boom the most exhilarating experience of her Christian life.

Pray with me…. Our Father, forgive us our sins as we have forgiven those who have sinned against us. Though our offenses will likely never approximate the offenses suffered by the Jews during the holocaust, or the Christians who tried to save them in Jesus’ name, we will be rejected, betrayed, offended, slighted and hurt. May we never forget that the experience of being forgiven by You can only be compared to the experience of forgiving those who sin against us. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Blessings,
Pastor Ken