Josh McDowell's Youth DevotionsSample

THE HIDING PLACE. During World War II a family of watchmakers named the ten Booms lived in Holland. While they seemed like a typical family in every way, the ten Booms had a secret: Their home was a hiding place. The ten Boom home was a place for Jews to stay until they had a chance to leave the Netherlands without fear of being sent to concentration camps. Hidden rooms were built in the home and frequent drills were held to make sure all the "guests" could be quickly hidden and all signs of their presence cleared away. In spite of all the ten Booms' efforts, this special hiding place was eventually discovered, and everyone, including the ten Boom family, was sent to a concentration camp. Yet even while imprisoned, Corrie ten Boom didn't lose her faith in God. She was able to smuggle a Bible into the camp a Bible that became her source of comfort and strength. She found shelter in God's Word. God's commands and promises helped her survive the hardships of being a prisoner of war. And because she taught Bible classes, the women around her also found comfort and hope. God's loving commands can do the same for us. They can protect us from harm; they can help us rely on his presence; they can remind us of his love; they can help us choose right even when everyone around us is choosing wrong. Of course, God's commands can do none of those things if we don't read them and obey them. But when we read his Word and obey his commands, "his never failing love protects [us] like the walls of a fort!" (Psalm 31:21, tlb). REFLECT: If the ten Booms had not taken such risks hiding Jewish families from the Nazis, they might have escaped the concentration camps themselves. Yet they chose to obey God's commands to be merciful and loving toward others even at the risk of their own lives. Are you reading God's Word? Are you obeying his commands? God's Word can be a fortress that surrounds us and gives us strength to do battle each day. What part of God's Word do you need to hide in your heart to help you fight the battles you face this week? ACT: Have you ever read Corrie ten Boom's thrilling story, The Hiding Place? If not, ask your parents or pastor to help you get a copy of her book or the film by the same name. PRAY: "Lord, sometimes I'm afraid to do what's right. Remind me, Lord, that you are with me each day to help me whenever I face a hard derision."