When Only God Can Provide

The miracle of the vitamin bottle experienced by Corrie and Betsie, was only one of several miracles that you will find as you read the book, The Hiding Place. When you find yourself dependent on God alone for sustenance, every moment of life IS a miracle…of HIS making.

The visions that Betsie “saw” were miracles in the working, promised by God, and later delivered by God in such a way that Corrie knew that it was strictly God alone who provided.

Just as the ten Boom story, and the Bible, are full of these miracles….so is the life of any born-again believer whose life is now lived in the Spirit, rather than in the flesh; who’s steps are ordered of God; who acknowledges that in ALL things Jesus Christ is LORD; who believes the Word of God in all things; who knows by faith that God is both willing and able.

His miracles are usually seen when we have come to the end of our own efforts, when there is nothing further that we can do, when now only a miracle can see us through, and when the clock has chimed the 11^th hour.

I had a cousin (second-cousin really) who saw God provide for him and his family in very desperate moments, several times in his life, and he said it was ALWAYS at the 11^th hour. He never told anyone how desperate the situation was, only God, and God always provided, but not til just before the end appeared to be coming. Sometimes the need was financial, sometimes it was healing that was needed. But at all times, he was able to witness God Himself make provision, and he knew without any doubt where the provision had come from, since the only ones who ever knew of the situations were himself and God.

I may already have mentioned George Muller, a man of great faith in God, who, along with his wife, trusted in God completely to provide “unsolicited” funds for the orphanage that began in their own home, but later expanded to many buildings housing over 23,000 orphans throughout the 1800’s alone. The George Muller Foundation still continues today, in 2009. George lived to be almost 90 years old, and at the age of 70, with the orphanages in capable hands back home, George, incredibly, began traveling around the world spreading the message of the gospel, at the very time in life when most of us hope to retire! But the point of his brief story here, is that he relied solely on God. He believed the scriptures to be the truth of God, and for all of his life trusted that he need only “ask and receive” from the Lord God. He asked God alone, believing that God alone was his provider, and would provide for him and all of his orphans. George never told anyone but God of the financial needs that were at time most desperate. He knew God was willing and able to provide, needing no special help from George. Just George’s faith was needed. And, of course, God always provided.

In the case of Corrie’s vitamin bottle, Corrie herself didn’t even have the faith, but it appeared that Betsie did. Yet, unless I am mistaken, we never hear that either of them even asked for this miracle, God just knew what was needed and provided. Corrie got to witness, first-hand, God’s provision, and it was a lesson that carried her through life after the concentration camp, into situations all over the world where, in unbelievable ways, she trusted on God’s provision and direction alone. She became an incredible testimony herself of the goodness and provision of God to His children.

The Holy Spirit is our comforter and our teacher. He reminds us of all of the miracles of God when desperate moments appear in our own lives. He is the One who grows our faith. And I trust Him to do so in each of us, as we surrender our lives to His direction.

[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.]