Obedience to the Word

The first thing that strikes me about the ten Boom family and their willingness to risk all for the Jews, is that their decision was based on something the Word of God (the Bible) said, and it was very simply agreed to, almost as though there were no other option, as though the choice were really out of their control anyway, so might as well do it! Yet, that certainly was not the case. They absolutely had control to say “No way! It’s much too dangerous!” But they didn’t….and they didn’t so easily, so simply.

Sitting where I am, in my soft desk chair here in my comfortable home, it takes great effort to place myself mentally in their shoes for that moment when they determined to risk what might possibly be their very lives for something or someone else, at a time of so much craziness…terrifying craziness! But for the ten Boom family it was as easy as (and I’m imagining here their possible thinking): “Jesus was a Jew, the Jews were God’s chosen people and He loved them, and because we love God, we also love those whom He loves, and that’s the Jews! Therefore, we cannot allow these terrible things to happen to people that God loves! We must do whatever we can, and we must do it now!” That was it! No looking back! Incredible!

Fast-forward to today where because of famous trials shown on television or read about in newspapers and magazines, we all know what it means to “wiggle one’s way through a legal or technical loophole.” But, it doesn’t appear that the ten Booms even gave any thought to “wiggling” out of the call of God to act in obedience to His Word. It appears that the Word of God said it, and they just simply believed it, no questions asked. And then they acted accordingly.

So, let’s consider what some of the scriptures might have been that they believed.

Here’s a scripture or two about Israel (the Jews) being God’s chosen people….

Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments: And I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God: and ye shall know that I am the Lord your God, which bringeth you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. And I will bring you in unto the land, concerning the which I did swear to give it to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob and I will give it to you for an heritage: I am the Lord. (Exodus 6:6-8 KJV)

At the same time, saith the Lord, will I be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be my people. (Jeremiah 31:1 KJV)

And another couple about how much He loved them….

The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying ‘Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee. Again I will build thee, and thou shall be built, O virgin of Israel: thou shalt again be adorned with thy tabrets, and shalt go forth in the dances of them that make merry.’ (Jeremiah 31:3 KJV)

And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.(Genesis 12:3 KJV)

And only two more (out of so many!) telling us Christians about obedience in love…

In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Here in is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. (I John 4:9-11)

Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. (I John 5:1-3)

These are only a tiny sampling of the numerous scriptures that tell of God’s unending love for the Jews, and of how we are to love others as God loves us. If all the pertinent scriptures were read, and believed, it would be impossible for anyone calling themselves a Christian to hate the Jews (someone who hates the Jews is called anti-semitic). The fact that there are people calling themselves Christians who do, in fact, hate the Jews, leads us into the first topic of discussion: Faith. Or put another way: Believing God (Or His Word) without question because after all it is GOD speaking, and then acting upon it accordingly.

Perhaps when we finish this little study on faith, we will better comprehend how Corrie ten Boom, our first example of a Woman Walking in Victory, came to be that woman.

To be continued….

[This blog is an ongoing study of the lives and the faith of Christian women who have experienced and demonstrated victorious living through Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. The current study is about Corrie ten Boom which began on September 21, 2009.]