It was a touching passage from the book about the aunt of Corrie ten Boom, who was dying and wondering if she had done enough good works. The family reassures her that Christ has done everything and that all she needs is to be sure of that.
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I want to share this because this touched me so much from Corrie Ten Boom's story, The Hiding Place.
Corrie Ten Boom and her family, Dutch family, these people knew how to receive Christ and then, yes, manifest him in their lives through their works because they believed in the salvation that he offered.
This is early in the story where her aunt, who had, I think, diabetes, but I forget the details, Corrie was given the doctor's assignment to take a certain serum and every Friday to put it on the stove and stir it because when it turned black, that would mean her aunt had three weeks or less to live.
She was tasked with doing that every Friday.
This Friday she does it and like normal, but then this time it turned black and she had been doing this for a long time and this was the first time and she knew it was bad news.
So she takes it to her father.
Her father says, check with the doctor.
She has to wait in the waiting room.
The doctor says, yes, you need to let her know that she has very little time left.
The family decides to all go together and she all go up to tell the aunt that this is going to be the end.
The father says, though I will speak the necessary words, perhaps she will take heart from all she has accomplished.
Our little procession filed up the steps to taunt John's rooms.
And as she saw the number of people entering the room, she laid down her pen.
She looked from one face to another until she came to mine and gave a little gasp of comprehension.
This was Friday morning and I have not yet come with the results of the test.
My dear sister-in-law, father began gently, there is a joyous journey which each of God's children sooner or later sets out on.
And John's some must go to their father empty handed.
But you will run to him with your hands full.
And then the family chimes in all your clubs, your writing.
She was a Christian woman who did lots of charities and good works, your writings, the funds you've raised, your talks.
But our well-meant words were useless.
In front of us, the proud face crumpled.
Tant John's put her hands over her eyes and began to cry.
Empty. Empty.
She choked at last through her tears.
How can we bring anything to God?
What does he care for our little tricks and trinkets?
And then as we listened in disbelief, she lowered her hands and with tears coursing down her face, whispered, Dear Jesus, I thank you that we must come with empty hands.
I thank you that you have done all, all on the cross.
And that all we need in life or death is to be sure of this.
Mama threw her arms around her and they clung together, but I stood rooted to the spot knowing I had seen a mystery.
Brothers and sisters, he has done all for us in the garden and on the cross.
It is all accomplished.
As he said, it is finished.
Salvation, as Lehi tells us, is free.
It's free.
We have to receive it if we want it.
It's there.
It's free.
Christ has done all for us.
It is amazing grace.
It is without limit.
Christ will lift us and take us all the way to joint airship with him.
I cannot believe the generosity of that, and yet I do because he is good.
