FEAR OF DEATH

I have told Corrie Ten Boom’s story a hundred plus times in hospitals, funeral homes and over the phone as people have wrestled with death and the future.

Corrie Ten Boom is one of my heroes and I will never forget the one time I got to hear her speak. Corrie was sent to the notorious Ravensbruck concentration camp for hiding Jews in her home. During her time there, Corrie lost both her father and sister. She did not lose her grip on God because she learned early in life that God supplies His sufficient grace as needed.

At age six, she witnessed the death of a neighbor’s baby and was confronted with the fragile nature of life. Spooked by this experience, she burst into tears and sobbed to her father, “I need you. You can’t die! You can’t!” Seeking to comfort and counsel his frightened daughter, Corrie’s father sat down beside her and gently said, “Corrie, when you and I go to Amsterdam, when do I give you the ticket?” She sniffled a little, and replied, “Why, just before we get on the train.” “Exactly,” her father responded, “and our wise Father in heaven knows when we are going to need things too. Don’t run ahead of Him, Corrie. When the time comes that some of us will have to die, you will look into your heart and find the strength you need, just in time.”

Corrie Ten Boom learned something that day that would hold true throughout her life. God does not give us grace for the future. Grace cannot be stored. Grace is like the manna that God supplied the Israelites in the wilderness. It has an expiration date on it. One day.

Like Corrie, we do not have to live in fear of what the future holds. As Corrie discovered, God gives us tickets of grace to get us through any given situation. God gives the ticket right when we need it.

 Dr. Michael Sprague serves as Louisiana State Chaplain with the Capitol Commission and President of Grace Adventures. He ministers in a non-partisan pastoral role at the Baton Rouge Capitol, offering Bible studies, prayer, and spiritual care to leaders. A former senior pastor, he holds degrees from the University of Maryland, Capital Bible Seminary, and Dallas Theological Seminary. He helped launch Touch Global Crisis Response after Hurricane Katrina and authored two books. Michael does life in Mandeville, LA with his wife Donna. His motto is “Bet the Farm on God,” reflecting his passion to help others know Jesus. You can find more information about Michael here.  

Image by DEEPAI