Corrie Ten Boom tells of a time when she was travelling the world telling others of what Jesus had done for her. For over twenty years, Corrie journeyed around the globe, leaning on God for protection, provision, guidance and strength, and through various testings had come to know that He was ALL sufficient.
One particular test was while planning the next part of a trip after finishing her time in the Orient. The Lord gave her a seemingly impossible itinerary. She was in Taipei at the time praying for new instructions, when The Lord gave her the following destinations in this order…..Hong Kong, Sydney, Auckland, then back to Sydney, then over to Cape Town, Tel Aviv then finally Amsterdam. Off she went to the travel agency with her list to book her plane ticket, as she had done many times in many places, and after a good witness with the lady at the desk she went back to her hotel with her ticket feeling good.
However, when she later looked at the ticket she noticed a mistake in the route. Instead of going from Sydney to Cape Town THEN Tel Aviv, the ticket was for Sydney to Tel Aviv THEN Cape Town. Corrie immediately rang the agency and spoke to the lady who booked her flights.
“Why have you changed my schedule? My Chief has told me that I must go first to Cape Town and after that to Tel Aviv. However, you have changed the sequence. God is my Master and I must obey Him.”
“Then God has made a mistake,” came the reply over the phone. “There is no direct flight from Australia to Africa since there is no island in the Indian Ocean for the plane to land and refuel. That is why you must fly overland to Tel Aviv and then down to Cape Town.”
“No,” Corrie argued. “I’ll just have to pray for an island in the Indian ocean.”
They both laughed, but Corrie was serious at heart. She prayed, “Lord, if I made a mistake in hearing Your direction, please show me. But if I heard correctly, then open the way.”
Shortly after, the lady called back. “Did you really pray for an island? I just received a call from Qantas, the Australian airline. They have just begun to use the Cocos Islands for a refuelling station, and beginning tomorrow will have a direct flight from Sydney to Cape Town.”
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1).
This account is adapted from the wonderful book, Tramp for The Lord by Corrie Ten Boom
LIFE ON THE ALTAR 