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You Are My Hiding Place
Matthew 5:1-12

​     Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount reminds us that after great hardships Christians will experience joy and rewards in heaven.  This is a fitting passage as we celebrate All Saints’ Day. Every year we intentionally remember Christians whose lives have shone brightly on us here this morning, and in our wider world; these persons may be living or residing in heaven.  
     This year I feel led by God to share the true story of Corrie ten Boom, a Christian woman who was part of the underground resistance in Holland during the Holocaust. Some of you may know of her, having read a book on her life (first published in 1971) called “The Hiding Place”.  Or you may have watched a movie about her life, also called “The Hiding Place”, which is a reference to Psalm 119:114 and to a secret room in her home where persecuted Jews were hidden.  
     To help set the scene, here’s a brief Wikipedia-based outline of Corrie’s story.  The narration begins with the ten Boom family celebrating the 100th anniversary of their family business; they sell and repair watches. The elderly father Casper runs the shop, which they call Beje. His unmarried daughter Corrie is a watchmaker, and her sweet-natured sister Betsie takes care of the household.
     As the Nazi regime in Germany rises, they feel it is their Christian duty to help protect their Jewish friends, so they build a secret hiding room.  Corrie and her brother Wilhelm become very involved in the Dutch underground resistance.  Danger was a constant; they resorted to lying, bribery, forgery and using the black market to get food, clothing, and ration cards for their dear friends.  
     The inevitable happened and their watch shop was raided, after a spy betrayed their trust.  Everyone was arrested, including their employees, but the Jews remained safely hidden.  Their dad Casper, who was in his mid-80’s, was told he would be let go if he “caused no more trouble“.   He told the officer that if he was set free, he would return home and help the next person who asked him.   Like so many others from that time, he chose to stand firm in his convictions as a Christian.  Casper was sent immediately to prison and died 10 days later.  Everyone else that was arrested was later released, except Corrie and her sister Betsy.
      Four months later they find each other at the same concentration camp in the Netherlands. Using their hidden Bible, they read to and encourage the other female prisoners. They remain there until a counteroffensive mounts against the Nazis.  A train transports them to Ravensbruk, the notorious women’s concentration camp in Germany. There, as Betsie’s health fails, she is filled with a universal love for all.  The compassion and pity she feels for their prison guards is beyond what Corrie or the other women can imagine or feel.
     Bestie died before they were liberated, and Corrie was released early because of a clerical error. She received care at a hospital for malnutrition and other problems, then made her way back to her old home, the Beje.  Nothing was the same, nor would it ever be again.  With God’s leading she began to tell her family’s story locally, then throughout Europe, America, and the wider world. Her faith in God that helped her through the most bitter and dark times, was a message people everywhere were hungry to hear. Corrie inspired her listeners by her example, and she invited them to help fund three remarkable institutions in memory of her love-filled sister Betsie. The first was a 56-room mansion converted to a home for recently released Jewish prisoners.  Listen to Corrie’s own words:  “Sure enough, in their own time, in their own way, people worked out the deep pain within them. Most often it started, as Betsie had known it would, in the garden. As flowers bloomed or vegetables ripened, talk was less of a bitter past and more about tomorrow...”. The gardens were what most lifted people out of their trauma toward new hope.  
     A 2nd dream Corrie made a reality was turning the Beje, their old watch shop, into a home for NSB (National Socialist Bond members); those were Dutch citizens who supported the Nazis during the occupation. Once the war was over, they were evicted from their homes and not given jobs, so they faced starvation and homelessness. It was Corrie’s Christian belief that God did not take sides; any wounded human being who needed help should receive it.   
     The final project Corrie oversaw was the conversion of a concentration camp into housing and rehabilitation for native Germans scarred by the war. During construction down came the hated barbed wire, then the depressing concrete was painted a lovely green color (Betsie loved green). Window boxes filled with flowers added beauty and soon after people began to move in.  It became a close-knit community filled with laughter and caring, grateful to begin making good memories.
     I’ve shared Corrie ten Boom’s story today because I think that her faith, applied during a harrowing time, offers us inspiration and life application lessons. In particular, she lived through a time when there were sharp partisan divisions.  When liberation and peace finally came, in neutral Holland and many other countries, deep wounds remained in the bodies and souls of its citizens. While we thank God we are not experiencing war at this time, there’s much that has strained our unity and good-will toward our neighbors and leaders during this last year.  
       The presidential election is seen by many as top on the list of polarizing realities.  As votes are counted in the coming days U.S. citizens, and many around the world, will be anxiously waiting to hear the results. Then will come the 78-day transition period when all eyes will be on Washington. But there is also a wave of worry that is rising because no one can predict how fellow citizens will react; there could be peaceful protests, harmful riots, or things we cannot even predict. Another stress-filled reality has been the relentless COVID pandemic, now surging in a third wave. The suffering and losses have been immense, and we’re hearing that it’s forecasted to get much worse.  Another third source of tension in our society in 2020 has been  around race and related justice issues. While just one of these can bring division into homes and hearts, on our streets and our media posts, every state of our union is coping with three happening at once.
       This morning I want to remind us that we can inspire others with our Christian faith and make a difference through our actions. We’re God’s saints in today’s harrowing world.  Here are some quotes and reminders from Corrie ten Boom and Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount to encourage us.
     Are you feeling worried? Corrie said: “Worry is a cycle of inefficient thoughts that whirl around and at the center is fear.”  She learned that “Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow, but it can empty today of its strength.”  She believed we should “Never be afraid to trust our unknown future to our known God.”  What’s more, “There are no ‘ifs’ or uncertainties in God’s world.”  “...by staying focused on following God’s will for your life, you’ll be secure.” And remember “There is (never) panic in heaven.” What’s coming next in our life is “in God’s hands”.   She believed that “If you look at the world, you’ll be distressed.  If you look within, you (may get) depressed. But if you look to God you’ll be at rest.” 
      Are you struggling to get along with someone, or do you need to forgive them? Corrie says that God can “make us willing – to be willing.” And “whenever we cannot love in the old, human way…God can give us the perfect way.” “What hurts so very much is when love gets blocked by pain…but God can open that love up again for us.” Remember that “Forgiveness is an act of the will, and the will can function regardless of the temperature of the heart.” She also said “Forgiveness is the key that unlocks the door of resentment and the handcuffs of hatred. It is a power that breaks the chains of bitterness and the shackles of selfishness.” Jesus says to those who forgive others, “Blessed are you for showing mercy, you yourself will receive mercy.” He also says: “Blessed are the peacemakers, they shall be called God’s children.”
     Finally, are you trusting in God to help you through these harrowing times? Corrie says that “When a train goes through a tunnel and it gets dark, you don’t throw away your ticket and jump off. You sit still and trust the engineer who is driving you.” Speaking of darkness, she founds that “God’s truths shine most clearly in dark times.” And “when we are powerless to do a thing, it is a great joy to come and step inside the ability of Jesus!” for “We can never learn that Christ is all we need, until Christ is all we have.” She also reminds us to “Let God’s promises shine on our problems.” Her mom taught her as a child that “Happiness isn’t something that depends on our surroundings, it is something we make inside of ourselves.” 
     Brothers and sisters in Christ, in the midst of what has been painful and often polarizing times for us, Corrie ten Boom’s life and faith and the teachings of Jesus Christ can guide and strengthen us. We need not be alarmed by the unknown – instead let us choose to pray and trust in God.  If we struggle to get along with a divisive neighbor, God promises us His love when ours runs dry. We can be like Betsie who inspired others with her compassion and great, universal love. We can make contributions so decent housing, food, medical help, gardens and more bring healing and hope to those who lack such things. We can choose to be like Corrie’s father Casper and stand firm in our Christian convictions, even if we are in the minority.  The possibilities for us to impact, influence and change our world are numerous, and these are the days when our faith and actions are very much  needed.  So, let’s be engaged as God’s people, doing our part to promote unity, goodwill toward all and a brighter future for our country. 

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