July 4, AD 2011

It’s the 4th of July—Independence Day. The date in 1776 on which the Declaration of Independence was ratified by the Thirteen Colonies.

Or, as some think of it: “Freedom Day.”

Yet, for many Americans the traditional celebratory mood of the day has a dark cloud hanging over it.

People are anxious about their unalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

Many are without jobs. Some without homes.

And they face what appears to them to be a bleak future.

They are anxious.

Some resort to stealing, others to withdraw into drinking, drugs, illicite sex, and so forth. Still a few others seek escape through suicide.

They are very anxious.

Prompted by a sermon
As I sat in church recently, the Pastor’s sermon brought such anxious people to mind. The sermon was on a familiar teaching of Jesus from Matthew chapter six—on God’s provision of food and clothing. Some people anxiously wonder from where such provision will come in the future, and many others have already lost provisions due to natural distasters as well as man-caused disasters.

I prayed for all of them. And about more than might be the obvious.

My pastor’s sermon also prompted me to recall a true story about two men who faced unimaginably trying circumstances that, for many, would blow their anxiety levels off the top of the chart.

Josef and Miroslav
The two men were Josef and Miroslav. Their story appeared in an autobiography with which I lent a helping hand. The book is In My Enemy’s Camp, and over the decades it has encouraged and inspired untold numbers of readers.

Josef Korbel, a Salvation Army officer, was arrested in September 1949 by Communist agents in his home in Czechoslovakia. Taken away from his wife and three young children, he was imprisoned for more than a decade. His “crime”? He was a “dangerous...religious influence.” Actually, he was the leader of a Salvation Army youth band which played Christian hymns on street corners and witnessed for Jesus Christ to passersby. Miroslav was a cell mate of Josef’s—a lunatic who was facing the death penalty because he was a member of the Czech resistence against the Communist regime. He also had betrayed some compatriots. As a result of fear and guilt, he decended into the deepest depths of despair. Guilt and fear had so gripped his heart that he literally could not even get out of bed and care for himself.

Josef’s insane cell mate
At this point, I’ll cite some of the story by quoting Josef from his book:

I learned later what had happened in this cell only three days before I arrived. My insane cell mate had gotten a spell of fury and had attacked the guard, scratching his face badly. Other guards came and subdued and bound the prisoner. He was left bound for three days without food, water or any care. Shortly before I was put into the cell he had been unbound. That was the reason the guards pushed me into the cell so quickly and why they watched through the peephole afterwards. They thought he would kill me! But the Lord was also watching me. He heard my prayers and tamed the bad temper of this insane man that night.

When I awoke the next morning, my first look was at the bed. The blanket was hanging down and the bed was empty. With a feeling of relief I jumped up. I went over to the bed to tidy it up, when suddenly the creature’s hand flashed out from under the bed and gripped my foot with a terrible scream. I jumped with fright! It was enough to jerk my foot loose from his grasp.

My insane cell mate spent most of the daytime under the bed. The guards pushed food trays to him there. I could hear the animal-like sounds of his eating.

For the first several days I guardedly watched his every movement, but later on I got used to him.

In time, a deep compassion filled my heart for him. Who was he? The features of his face still carried a trace of intelligence. Surely he used to be a very good-looking man. What changed him so much? He must have gone through much suffering and ill treatment to become what he was now.

I discovered that his feet were sore with a mucous disease. This caused a very unpleasant odor.

One day, after he had fallen asleep, outstretched under the bed, I crept slowly over to him and tried to wash his feet with a wet cloth. “What will he do if he awakes?” I pondered.

But nothing happened. I had the impression he felt relieved by the washing. Often after that I had the chance to repeat this simple act of help and kindness. I prayed for this wretched being, day by day.

The package
How I longed for a Bible to read. I never knew I could miss reading the Word of God so much.

Then one day something happened that had a far reaching consequence I got a package in the mail from my wife. I don’t know how it got through. Somehow Erna had simply gotten permission to send a small package of food. It was a rare exception, because through all those years we were seldom allowed to get mail—let alone packages.

I opened the package with shaky hands. The charm and love of my home breathed on me so powerfully that I shed tears over the few things which the dear hands of my darling wife had so lovingly prepared.

I found a note with a few words written by hand of a child: “Dear Daddy, these nuts I shelled for you…this apple is from your Alenka.” Neither nuts nor an apple were in the package. When it had been censored these good things had disappeared. There was still something left for me—a sandwich! Those were days of starvation and I wondered what I would find there between the two slices of bread. A slice of yellow cheese? Or a piece of bacon? Or maybe...? No, that could not be—where would my wife find a piece of ham? Slowly I took the wrapping off the sandwich. I lifted off the top slice of bread. And there—I could not believe my eyes! There, in the sandwich, was concealed a little black book—the New Testament!

The loving gift of God’s Word
After a few days, Josef was startled when Miroslav demanded to be given his cherished New Testament.

In time, Miroslav recovered his sanity. And without the help of a prison psychologist or behavior-altering drugs. No, none of that. Rather, his healing came through Josef’s loving care and the discovery that walking in God’s love and the truth of His Word combine as the cure for uniting a heart divided by sin, soul from spirit.

For only when the soul and spirit of the heart are united or made whole, can the mind, emotion and will of the soul function whole-heartedly in harmony with the Spirit of Christ who indwells the spirit of the heart.

Though incarcerated in a dark and dingy prison, and with little food to eat or adequate clothing to wear, Miroslav and Josef survived.

But not only did they survive, they triumphed!

And not because they had better food to eat and warm clothing to wear.

Jesus said: “Do not be anxious for your life, as to what you shall eat, or what you shall drink; nor for your body, as to what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body than clothing? (Matthew 6:25). He went on to talk about the birds that do not sow and the grass that arrays the fields for a time, but then dies and is burned. God provides food for the birds and clothing for the fields, and He much more provides for His children.

But then, Jesus interjects a thought that, at first glance, might seem confusing: “For all these things the Gentiles eagerly seek; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you” (Matthew 6:31, 32).

Pause and relate
Josef and Miroslave did not receive better food on a plate or warmer clothes to wear on their bodies, yet God fed and clothed them.

Today, in some parts of the world Christians are starving and succumbing to the elements. Christians' homes, businesses and even their churches are being burned. Some believers are even burned alive. Yet, God sustains their hearts with food and clothing from heaven!

So, to think Jesus was limiting His teaching of God’s provision to food on the table and a coat on your back, you’ve missed His point. You see, God’s Word is sweeter than honey (Psalm 19:7-10), and He provides “clothing” that warms the believer’s heart.

When Jesus rebuked Satan for trying to tempt Him with worldly things, He said: “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4).

The Word of God is truly “soul food”—nourishment for the thirsting and hungry soul’s mind, emotion, and will.

Likewise, Paul wrote of spiritual clothing in terms of putting on the new self—a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience...and putting on love, which is the perfect bond of unity (see Colossians 3).

Josef and Miroslav received that kind of food and clothing from God. They were sustained by the Word of God and the love of God. Josef received both, then gave them to Miroslav.

Rather than experiencing anxiety, they experienced peace—“the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, [that] shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7).

Just as the love of God and His Word cured anxiety in Josef and Miroslav and gave them peace, so today God’s love and His Word can transform anxiety over one’s life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness into the peace of Christ Jesus.

So, on this Independence Day, let us celebrate our dependence—dependence on a God whose grace is sufficient for us in all circumstances.

The full story of Josef and Miroslav is retold in my booklet, Miroslav. Click the title to read the entire text. The booklet is adapted from Josef’s autobiography, In My Enemy’s Camp. Though the book has long been out of print, used copies can be found in a search of the internet.

Read the complete text of Miroslav
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