Changing Your World Series

RECOGNIZE THAT GOD IS SOVEREIGN.

We must realize that God has placed us where we are for a reason. We must acknowledge that our circumstances have been orchestrated by the Lord Himself. HE put us where we are to make a difference in the lives of the people around us – Believe it and act on that belief.

It was Christmas, 1944. Corrie Ten Boom’s sister, Betsy, had died, and Corrie herself was in a hospital barracks in Ravensbruck – a German concentration camp – wondering why God had put her there. Here is what she wrote of that experience in her book, Corrie’s Christmas Memories (show picture):

Dark it was in my heart, and darkness was around me (show picture of Ravensbruck prisoners).

There were Christmas trees in the street between the barracks. Why, I don’t know. They were the saddest Christmas trees I ever saw in my life. I am sure it was with the purpose of blaspheming that they had thrown dead bodies of prisoners under the Christmas trees.

I tried to talk to the people around me about Christmas, but they mocked, ridiculed, and sneered at whatever I said. At last I was quiet. It was in the middle of the night that I suddenly heard a child crying and calling, “Mommy! Come to Oelie, Oelie feels so alone.” I went to her and saw a child not so young, but feebleminded.

“Oelie, Mommy cannot come, but do you know who is willing to come to you? That is Jesus.”

The girl was lying on a bed next to the window, not far from my bed. Although Oelie was completely emaciated from lack of food, she had a sweet face, beautiful eyes, and wavy hair. It was so touching to hear her call for her mother. Oelie had been operated on and the incision on her back was covered by a bandage of toilet paper.

That night I told this poor child about Jesus. How He came into the world as a little baby – how He came to save us from our sins.

“The Lord Jesus loves Oelie and has borne her punishment on the cross. Now Oelie may go to heaven, and Jesus is there right now. He is getting a little house ready for Oelie.” Later I asked her what she remembered of what I had told her.

“What is the little house like,” she asked.

“It is very beautiful. There are no wicked people as in Ravensbruck, only good people and angels. And Oelie will see Jesus there.”

Then Oelie folded her hands; together we gave thanks.

Then I knew why I had to spend this Christmas in Ravensbruck – 1944 (Corrie Ten Boom, Corrie’s Christmas Memories)

Corrie Ten Boom knew that GOD had put her in Ravensbruck. It’s what helped her be a light in that very dark place.

And that’s the choice we have: we can complain about our surroundings, or we can accept the fact that GOD has placed us right where we are to be a witness for Him. We can curse the darkness, or we can light a candle.

Sure, there are a lot of things to criticize in our post-Christian society. Instead, I choose to be a witness. I choose to accept the fact that God has placed me here and light a candle in the darkness. If we want to change our world and make a real difference, that’s where it starts. We must 1st recognize that God is sovereign. Then 2nd, we must…