For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

• Ephesians 2:10

But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

• Matthew 10:19-20

“I know some of you are thinking what some of the prisoners in New Zealand thought: God can use other people but not me. I am not good enough. (Or perhaps you’re not in prison but still doubt that God wants to touch others through your life.)
“Do you know what happened after I gave this talk? One of the prisoners stood up and addressed his fellow inmates: ‘This morning I read in the Bible about three murderers. One’s name was Paul, one was Moses and the other was David. We think of them as heroes of God, but all three were murderers! If God can do the miraculous with a totally surrendered murderer, there is hope for you and me!’
“He was right. There is hope for everyone who reads this. I believe I have never heard a better sermon as I did from that prisoner. What God can do with you when you surrender all is tremendous! It does not matter what you have done in the past, how you have failed before or how unqualified you feel. But there is one condition: ‘Stay always within the boundaries where God’s love can reach and bless you’ (Jude 21 TLB). Without the Lord, we can do nothing!”

• Corrie ten Boom, God is my Hiding Place

“The Holy Spirit fills me and does His work through me.”

• Corrie ten Boom, Highlighted Quote

Boilerplate

In this new mini-series, I will be looking at a devotion that is said to be written by Corrie ten Boom.  Really, this devotion is like several that I had read.  They come from the writings of that person.  Thus, the prayers at the end may be the editor’s addition to what Corrie ten Boom actually wrote.

Each of these posts will include the suggested verses to read, a quote from the writing that came from a Corrie ten Boom book (five in all according to the copyright page, but no chapter in the book is given the specific book of origin).  I will also include the highlighted quote, similar to an internet quotation, and I will end with the quoted prayer for that devotion.

Discussion

Tante Corrie is right and wrong at the same time.  Paul, Moses, and David all killed people, but Paul had the authority to do so from the religious leaders.  David killed people in war, but arranging for the killing of Uriah qualifies as murder.  And Moses murdered an Egyptian guard and ran away to Sinai to hide from the authorities.  But her point was that this man, a prisoner, found a way to reach other prisoners.

But the point that drives this home is that the Holy Spirit gives us the words to say.

I have experienced this more than once.  I have written about how I was invited into someone’s home to talk to him about the Gospel, but the man only wanted to spar with words.  When I left forty-five minutes later, my companions thought I was a super star, but I felt defeated.  The thing is that I quoted verses constantly that refuted what he had to say, but I have no idea where those verses came from.  I can look things up like a champion, but instant recall of memory verses has never been my thing.

But that is what my companions saw me doing.

I was not doing it at all.  It was the Holy Spirit.  Had I read the verses?  Yes.  I might have even memorized them ten years before, but after I left the man’s house, I had no idea what I had said at all.

My wife calmed down an irate mother of a problem child when the principal and teacher had failed to do so.  The principal gave my wife a hug and said that was the most beautiful thing she had ever heard, but my wife had no recollection of ever saying a word.  The Holy Spirit had simply taken over.

I wrote a few letters in my day for the boss’ signature.  On a couple of occasions, the boss said he had never read anything like it.  Was that the Holy Spirit?

The problem with the Holy Spirit taking over is that He does so when we call upon God for help and if someone standing nearby says what we did and we cannot remember ever doing it, we might never know that the Holy Spirit was at work.

For a moment, you are calm, and then others smile and shake hands.  How did that happen?  You do not know.  It was truly God at work.

So, if asked to do something for the Lord, by all means prepare and learn as much as you can, but never make the excuse of being unqualified.  God has a way of making you qualified in the moment.

Closing Prayer

“Father, let Your beauty be seen in my life. I won’t limit myself according to my ability but will move as You lead. May Your glory be visible in my actions, words and in all that I believe. I won’t base my worth on anything other than the price You paid to make me Yours. I am qualified to join with You in ministry because You are in me. I will be an extension of Your love.”

• Corrie ten Boom, God is my Hiding Place (prayer for Day 38, In Him You Are Qualified)

Soli Deo Gloria.  Only to God be the Glory.