Walking in Love, Walking in Light — Corrie Ten Boom

This has been here a little over a week, and this is her last meeting, and it's about the 25th time that she's spoken. And there are twice as many people and groups that want her. So I'm so thrilled, too, that this was all set up before she got here.

So there was no chance of her not being with you this evening. I met Ms. Ten Boom a year ago in Washington amongst the Congressional members and the diplomat members, and she spoke to us all there at the time, the presidential prayer breakfast and the congressional-wise prayer breakfast.

And after the impact she made on my own life, and as I looked through the sea of women, 700 or 800 women, congressional-wise, generals-wise, diplomats-wise, and saw the impact her message had with them, I rushed up, and I said, do you ever come west?

And out of this comes this meeting, and we've been praying about it for a year. So you know what a great joy it is to me to be able to introduce her. And I speak of her being used through the congressional members in Washington.

I want to tell you that she was knighted by the Queen of Holland for her work. And it's a very great thing that the Queen, she was knighted for two reasons. One, for her work during World War II, she saved the lives of hundreds and hundreds of Jews, and she was also knighted for the fact that she brings the gospel to the world.

Isn't that great when a country will knight someone for this reason, the most important reason in the world and overlooked in most countries as being the most important? But as I speak about this, I want to also mention that her ministry isn't only way up here with the people who are the leaders in the countries, but I myself have seen her address the prisoners.

And I know that she has brought the gospel to the feeble-minded. She did this in World War II, knowing that it doesn't take an IQ to know God's plan in Christ, and she's brought joy and purpose and peace in the lives of the feeble-minded.

And if you could see her in the prison, you'd know how God has used this woman who was in prison herself. I could tell you many things about her, but I'm sure you've never met anyone who organized a kidnapping of 100 babies, which she did when she heard the Nazis were going to kill the babies in an orphanage.

She organized that 100 were kidnapped and placed in homes within 24 hours. Tonight, you're just going to see one fraction of a most marvelous life, the life of one who really loves her enemies. We think of our enemies, but we don't know what it is to face those who've killed our family and to love them.

So here we see not theory of God's word, we see the fact of it. And you're going to love her as the world does. She has a ministry all over the world of all kinds, and all types, and all nationalities.

So we are thrilled, and we're thrilled for this quiet, lovely group tonight. You've been chatty, but we've been in such mobs. And Ms. Tenbyn was just saying, isn't this lovely and restful? And so she's enjoying the fact that she's going to speak to you too.

I want to tell you a little bit about our books, because everywhere we go, people want our books, so we bring them along. And they're small. She has three, Not Good if Detached, Amazing Love, and A Prisoner and Yet, and then a little booklet of Common Sense Not Needed.

This is a way she spoke to and could bring the good news to the feeble-minded. I want to tell you about A Prisoner and Yet. Right here, I have a copy that's 15 years old that was given to the mother of one of your members, that was given to Mrs. Fullerton.

And it was signed by Corrie Tenbyn in March of 1948. Here, this book, and it's been read by many, many people, Ms. Fullerton said, for 15 years. So you see, these books have a wonderful ministry. And the proceeds from the books go to a wonderful center in Africa, a Christian center where all sorts of retreats will be made, internationally, inter-nominationally, interracial, in every way.

This is only one of the many, many ministries that Ms. Tenbyn has. So I'll have these books over there at the table afterwards, if you're interested. And if you want three books, then Ms. Tenbyn likes to give this little one with it.

So I won't take any more time, but it's with great pleasure that I turn over to you, Corrie Tenbyn.

Thank you very much for that kind way of introducing me. If there are some of you who would like to keep contact with me afterwards, then give your name and address printed on the paper on the book table, and I will send you, it is Harvest Time.

That is a little paper that I sent to about 30 ,000 people in the world. This afternoon, when I was with the other business, Christian business women's group, came a lady to me and she said, do you know that you were 10 years ago in our house in Tokyo during a cyclone?

I said, yes, I remember it. It was a cyclone, you say? Cyclone. Cyclone. It was a cyclone, and I could hardly reach the house of a missionary. I was on the way to a nurse's fellowship, but there was no way to come there, and then I had to stay there 24 hours because it was just pouring and pouring rain and a storm, and more than 1 ,000 people were killed during that cyclone.

This lady came here this afternoon, and she said, do you know that every two months I read your little paper, and so I know everything. I like it when people give their name and address for their paper.

I don't ask money for that, but if you like to do it, I like that. Sometimes you pray for me, for I need very much prayer. This week here has been unusually blessed, and I'm sure it was because a year long people have been praying here for my coming.

Looking Unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of Faith

And when Christians pray, then the devil has not much chance to come in between when God will speak. And now I will read to you Hebrew 12, 1 and 2, from the translation of Phillips. Surrounded then as we are by serious ranks of witnesses, let us strip off everything that hinders us, as well as the sin which dogs our feet, and let us run the race that we have to run with patience, our eyes fixed on Jesus, the source and the goal of our faith.

For he himself endured a cross, and thought nothing of its shame, because of the joy he knew would follow his suffering. And he is now seated at the right hand of God's throne. Think constantly of him, and during all that sinful man could say against him, and you will not lose your purpose or your courage.

Let us just pray a moment. Open our eyes, dear Lord, that we may see the far vast riches of eternity. Help us to look beyond life's little cares, so prone to fret us, and the grief that wears our courage thin.

Oh, may we tune our hearts with thy great harmony, that all the paths may always be in perfect sweet accord. Give us thy own clear vision, blessed Lord. In Jesus' name, Amen. Some time ago, I had a little accident in my hometown.

It was not so very serious, but it was so that I could not walk. My hip was not broken, but hurt, wounded. A policeman helped to carry me into a car. Now, when a policeman in Holland does a job, always his little notebook comes, and he must write a report.

So he said, What's your name? I said, Corrie ten Boom. He said, Ten Boom? Are you a member of that family that we arrested ten years ago? I said, Yes. You must understand that the good Dutch policemen remained in their job in the police station.

These stations were in the hands, of course, of the Germans, but these Dutch policemen remained there with the purpose to help us political prisoners. And God blessed them for all the help they have given to us.

And now this man told, after ten years, I was on duty that night that your father, with all his children, his grandson, and fifty friends, were brought into our police station. You were all sitting on the floor.

There were no chairs in that police station. And he said there was an atmosphere as if there was a feast, instead of that most of you realized that they had to die sometimes later. My father died in prison, my brother, his son, my sister, and many of my friends.

And he said, I often tell my friends how your father said, that old man, he was eighty-four years old when he came in prison, and ten days later he died. But this policeman told, your father said, let us have a word of prayer together before we try to sleep.

And then he read Psalm 91. After ten years this man knew what father had read, that Psalm he that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. When I come in heaven, I am going to ask father a question.

I like to use my fantasy a little bit about heaven, do you? And you know, when you have a very good fantasy, the reality is a trillion and more times greater than you can imagine and think. So we can just go ahead.

But one thing I know from the Bible, and that is that we will know each other. In that story on the Mount of Transfiguration, where Jesus was together with Moses and Elijah and the disciples, I do not read that Jesus said, may I introduce you, my disciples, Moses and Elijah, oh no.

But the disciples knew that is Moses and that is Elijah. How did they know that? Because these two had celestial bodies. In heaven we will know each other far better than here. Now when I see father, I will say, dad, do you remember that last time that we were together in the police station in the Smedestraat in Haarlem?

And I am almost sure that father will say yes. I remember that very well. It was the last time that we were together. Then I will ask, see, do you remember that policeman that was on duty? And it is very possible that father will say, policeman, no, I don't remember that.

You know, father has not thought that even that night, now I must do or say something to be a blessing for a policeman. No, father lived very relaxed till the last day of his life. I heard that from fellow prisoners who have met him the day before he died.

Transformation Comes by Beholding the Lord

But, you know, father's whole life was turned towards Jesus. And there is written in 2 Corinthians 3 .18, we all with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord are transformed unto the same image from glory to glory even as from the Lord the Spirit.

A mirror doesn't do much. It stands or hangs in the right direction and then it does its job. You and I have not to do so much. We have just to look in the right direction. And then the Lord will use us.

I am sure that there is a great possibility that when you enter the beautiful city and the saved all around you appear, that several people will tell you, it was you that invited me here. But you will say, I, when did I tell you about heaven?

And then you will find out, oh, that was that time that I so really looked unto Jesus. So let us look unto Jesus and he will use us to be mirrors of his joy and love. I looked at Jesus, unto Jesus, and the dove of peace flew into my heart.

I looked unto the dove of peace and he flew away. Mother K. Hamm once has said, when I pick up the newspapers, then I get scared. And after I read what man is intending to do, then I pick up the Bible and I read what God is intending to do.

Reading the News Through the Hope of Scripture

How necessary it is for you and me to look now in the right direction. The newspapers really can scare us. But when we look at the Bible, I can tell you if I had never believed in the Bible, I should now believe in the word of God when I read the newspapers.

For everything that is said that will happen in the last days before Jesus comes, you can now read in the newspapers. And it is good that we know the secret of God's plan. We are citizens of heaven. Our outlook goes beyond this world to the hopeful expectation of our coming Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

When we read the newspapers, we see an embroidery like this, a mixed-up pattern. But in the Bible, we read the secret of God's plan. And there we know that God has plans, no problems with this world.

There is never a panic in heaven. And in Ephesians 1, we read, God has allowed us to know the secret of his plan. And it is this. He purposes in his sovereign will that all human history will be consummated in Christ, that everything that exists in heaven or earth shall find its perfection and fulfillment in him.

And here is the staggering thing, that in all which will one day belong to him, we have been promised a share. Yes, the best is yet to be. We read in the Bible that this world, this world will be covered with the knowledge of God, like the waters cover the bottom of the sea.

And the Lord Jesus said, In the world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. And this is the time of which Jesus said, Look up, your liberation nearest. Yes, in Romans 8 .21, we read, The whole of created life will be rescued from the tyranny of change and decay, and have a share in that magnificent liberty, which can only belong to the children of God.

It is plain to anyone with eyes to see, that at the present time all created life groans in a sort of universal travail, which can only belong to the children of God. Are you a child of God? If you are not, then I can tell you how you can become one.

Receiving Jesus as Savior and Becoming Children of God

The Bible tells when we receive Jesus, he gives us the power to become a child of God. We can come to Jesus, but only when we are sinners. Pharisees who say, I am good, the Lord Jesus cannot help and cannot save.

But when people come to him and say, I am a sinner, then Jesus says, come unto me, I will give you forgiveness of your sins. I died for your sins at the cross. And when we are willing to repent from our sins and bring them to the Lord Jesus, oh, it is a joy to read what Jesus does with your sins, after you have received him as your savior.

And you bring him your sins, he casts them into the depths of the sea, forgiven and forgotten, and I am sure he put a sign, no fishing allowed. That's what Jesus will do with your sins, isn't that a joy?

Some people are a little bit afraid for that decision, and indeed it is life's greatest decision to receive Jesus as your savior. It is so important that even the angels in heaven rejoice, for your soul is very precious in God's eyes, and therefore also in the eyes of the angels.

But some people say, oh, I cannot do that, for when I look at myself, I know that I have never the faith and the strength to be a good Christian. And when I look around me, I know in my job, in my family, it is very difficult to be a Christian.

But you know, it is the question where you look. Look unto Jesus. There was a little mouse that was threatened by a broom in the kitchen, and that little mouse did not look at the broom that was used by a woman who would kill him.

He did not look at his little weak feet, but he looked at the hole in the wall, and that was good, for he disappeared in the hole in the wall before the broom could kill him. That hole in the wall is Jesus.

Walking in the Light Through Confession and Fellowship

When you look unto your little weak feet, and to your perseverance and your endurance on your faith, then you have no courage to say yes to Jesus. When you look unto the circumstances, and then you say, oh, no, I can never do it.

Just look at the hole in the wall, into Jesus. And the great joy is that when you look unto Jesus, and when you throw yourself into his arms, then he takes care for your little weak feet, and for the broom, and for all the difficult circumstances.

So let us look unto Jesus, always unto him. Our iniquities hinder us to look up, and therefore it is very necessary that we take care that we always repent of our sins. Here we have read in this translation the sins that dog our feet.

But also our iniquities hinder us to look in the right direction. Therefore, the moment that you know that there is something between you and God, or someone else and you, immediately bring it to the Lord.

I was in Africa, and I met these people who walked in the light. They taught it to us. And we saw they are Christians who were so happy, and so really always so gay, and so full of joy. And then we asked them, how can you be always so full of joy?

And they said, we walk in the light. And they opened their Bible, and they read 1 John 1, 7. If we walk in the light like Jesus is in the light, we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus cleanses us from all the sins we confess.

And I learned a great lesson there. When there is something between Connie van Hoogstraten and me, Connie van Hoogstraten is my fellow worker who goes with me around the world, and we are night and day together.

Often we have the same bedroom, and we travel together, and it is a great joy. But in the beginning it was a little bit difficult, because Connie and I have both our characters, and we know what we will.

And then it was a little bit friction. And then in Africa we learned, they asked us, do you walk in the light together? And first we said yes, but then we thought it was not true. There were several things that were between us.

And do you know, now when there is something between Connie and me, immediately we go to each other and say, say, I'm sorry. Will you forgive me that? And then we pray and say, Father, forgive me this sin in Jesus' name.

And, you know, that's walking in the light, and we have a very good work together. Do you walk in the light with your husband, with your colleague, with your chief, with your teenage son and daughter, with your neighbor?

If you do not, then begin a new chapter, a chapter where you walk in the light and look in the right direction. And you can walk in the light because Jesus walks in the light. If you have never made that first decision for the Lord Jesus, then I invite you to do it tonight.

And if you have a little bit problem that you think, yes, but how do I do that? Then stay a little bit longer, and one of us will help you. And perhaps your friend who brought you here will help you. And I know that most of you are Christians, and now I have a word for you who have invited a friend here tonight.

After I have spoken, have a little talk with her and say, did you receive the Lord Jesus, or will you do it and then be a good counselor? You know, that's such a joy that we all can be good counselors.

And even you, when you have received the Lord Jesus, you can bring other people to the Lord because everyone can point to Jesus and look at Jesus, and Jesus make you moon. Do you know what I mean? The sun gives the light from itself.

A moon doesn't do anything than reflect the sun of the moon. And even when you receive the Lord Jesus this very evening, you can reflect the light of Jesus Christ. And the world needs so very much the mirrors of Jesus' joy, for the world is very poor.

Loving Enemies by Looking to Jesus

Look in the right direction. When I was in the concentration camp, people were so cruel. And I remember that when we stood on roll call in the icy cold mornings, often from 3 .30 till 6 .30, the guards who were on duty used that time sometimes to demonstrate their cruelties.

One morning I could hardly bear to see and to hear what had happened in front of me. And suddenly a skylark came and started to sing in the sky a song. And when I looked at the bird, I looked at the sky.

And I thought at Psalm 103, where the poet says, As high is heaven over the earth, so high is God's mercy and love over all that fear him. And suddenly I saw it. Oh, love of God, how deep and great, far deeper than man's deepest hate.

And God sent that skylark three weeks daily, exactly during roll call time, to turn our eyes away from the cruelty of man and to the ocean of God's love. Oh, it is so important that we look in the right direction in this time.

I see so many people who are so very afraid for the communists. And they have reason to be afraid. But it is very good to look not only on the communists, but unto Jesus. I was in Berlin, and there was not yet the war in Berlin.

And so the people from East Berlin came often to our meetings. Once I was in the YWCA, and there came a woman from East Berlin. She was a nervous wreck. And when she was sat down, she said to me, Don't forget that somewhere a communist is now listening for what we say.

I looked at her, and I knew that was nonsense. She was not in East Germany. But she said, Oh, the communists are everywhere. And I'm sure there is a little machine here that they can listen and hear every word what we can say.

I saw that she was really a nervous wreck. And I prayed the Lord for wisdom. And I didn't say it is not true, for I knew that that shouldn't have helped her. But the Lord gave me to say this to her. Is that so?

Is there a communist listening? She said, Perhaps more than one. I said, My, what an opportunity. Wait a moment. And I said, Communists who are listening, I have to tell you something. Do you know that there is an ocean of love available for you?

Because Jesus came to this world to save us. And do you know that he has carried your sins at the cross? And you can be saved, but salvation is a gift. And you can give a gift only to one with an outspread hand.

And communists, when you come to Jesus, he will in no wise cast you away. And he will make you very happy. Do you know what it is to receive Jesus? Say, Listen, communists. Do you know what it is? That means that you throw yourself into an ocean of God's love.

Have you ever thrown a bottle into an ocean, an empty bottle? Immediately it was filled and surrounded by the ocean water. And now when you throw yourself in the arms of Jesus, you will be filled and surrounded by the ocean water.

And so I just gave that communist a good talk. And I wish you had seen that lady. Her whole expression was relaxed. And she smiled and she said, Oh, I've never thought about that we could use that opportunity to bring the gospel.

I will do it wherever I am and where I know that the communists listen. The Lord has used me to turn our eyes away from this terrible broom that threatened her into the little hole where she could escape.

Do you know what I mean? She turned towards Jesus and away from the hatred and the bitterness. All my friends, it is so necessary that Christians look away from the communists and to Jesus and sure you will be used to help the communists and you can be a wide open channel of God's love.

Betsy ten Boom and the Love of Christ Under Persecution

You know, I saw that in Betsy. Betsy was so really full of the Holy Spirit. I will never forget when she was beaten for the first time. This was not the time of the communists. This was in the time of the National Socialists.

We had hidden people in a secret room and we were arrested in our house and the man who arrested us said to Betsy, Where's your secret room? She knew when I tell that that means a cruel death for six Jews that were hidden there.

So she didn't tell it. Then the man started to beat her cruelly in the face and suddenly she cried, Oh my Savior, where are you? And the man said, When you say that word, I'll murder you. But he could not beat her any longer.

And when she came to me afterwards, I saw in her face that she was beaten. She has been deaf at one ear for the rest of her life by that cruel beating. And I said to her, Did he beat you? And she said, Yes, I'm so sorry for the man who did it.

That's God's love. My friend, I don't know if you realize what it means when you must suffer by cruelty. When a doctor makes you suffer, you don't mind. And you know he does that because he will help you.

He must cut that wound to heal you and doesn't make you bitter or angry. You just endure it with patience. But when you must suffer by the cruelties of men, oh, that brings into your heart such a bitterness and hatred.

But you know Betsy looked unto Jesus and there was only love and kindness for that man that was beating her. Oh, what a joy that we may look unto Jesus, always unto him. You know, when we look at Jesus, we see things, as it were, from God's point of view.

My youngest sister, Nolly, was the first one who was arrested. She was a mother of six children. They brought her into a prison, no, first in a police station. This was a year before all of us were arrested.

And when she came from the police station, I saw her and I put my arms around her. And I cried. But Nolly smiled and she said, God is love. And when she was in the prison van, she wrote on the wall, Jesus is Victor.

When she came in the prison, there were five women and they said, don't you cry. We all cry when we come for the first time into a prison. But Nolly said, no, I don't cry. God does not make mistakes that he allowed the enemy to bring me here.

Surrender and Trust in God's Sovereignty

You see, Nolly had learned what Mrs. Pearsall Smith tells in her book, The Christian Secret of a Happy Life. When you have difficulties, problems, give it wings. One wing is surrender and one wing is trust.

And then instead of seeing it as a caterpillar from the underside, you see it as a butterfly, as it were, from God's point of view. When the devil cannot get our eyes turned away from Jesus in another way, then he turns our eyes unto our faith.

Some people ask me, did your faith help you through the ten months that you were in prison? But I must say no. My faith was very weak and wavering. How did I come through? It was Jesus. He has carried me through these terrible times that I was in a prison where 97 ,000 women were killed or died, where people were around me who had had a training in cruelties.

But Jesus carried me through. And that is good that I tell you that, for just imagine that you have to go through deep waters. You can say, but I have not the faith of Corrie ten Boom. But when I tell you it was Jesus, the same Jesus who has helped me through that terrible time will help you.

You know, there was a man who was in a prison. Night and day his hand was chained at the hand of a guard. And that man wrote a letter to his friends. This man was Paul. And you can read that letter in your Bible in the book to the Philippians.

And he writes, then provide New Testament, I count everything as loss compared with the priceless privilege, the overwhelming preciousness of knowing Christ Jesus, my Lord, and of progressively getting more deeply and ultimately acquainted with him.

It was Jesus who carried him through. It is he. Let us look unto Jesus, the author and the finisher of our faith, not unto our faith. When I look unto my faith, there are two possibilities. One is that I say I have a very great faith, spiritual pride, or that I say, oh, my faith is nothing.

That is defeatism. But when I look unto Jesus, I know it is he. I had a watchmaker business before the war. I was a businesswoman before the war. And sometimes I had a new watch in my jewelry store that didn't run well.

I never repaired it, but I sent it straight back to the manufacturer and wrote him, this new watch does not run all right. After he had repaired it, it went absolutely exact. When my faith doesn't work, I don't try to repair it.

I sent it back to the manufacturer, the author, the finisher of my faith, Jesus. And when Jesus repairs it, then it works. So let us not look unto Jesus, unto our faith, but unto Jesus. Always unto him.

And he will do the job. Never look back at a canceled sin. Sometimes when we have sinned and we bring that sin to the Lord, then the devil still shows us that sin. I will never forget what I experienced a year ago when I was in Berlin.

Forgiveness and the Burial of Canceled Sin

In the inquiry room, there came a man who looked very dark. Oh, it had been for me a very strenuous day. I had many meetings. And Germans, when they trust you, they creep into your soul. Do you know what I mean?

They tell you all their troubles. Now, that means that you can help the Germans. But when I say, now, after the meeting, if you need a little bit of help or counseling, just come into that room and you can be sure that half of the audience comes to be counseled.

I must always go after Germany to England, for there the people are far too reserved to tell you their troubles. So that's far easier. But in some way, I like it that these Germans just tell their trouble.

But now I was real tired. And there came that man. I said, just take a seat. He didn't do it. I said, what is the matter? Can I help you? He didn't say a word. I was impatient. I said, now, listen, I can help you if you tell me what's the matter.

But there are more people waiting. So tell me, why do you come to me? And that man said, I am one of your guards from Ravensbruck. You are one of my victims. With Christmas, I have received Jesus as my savior.

And I have brought him all my sins. And then I have asked, oh, God, give me an opportunity to ask one of my victims forgiveness. And now I am here. Oh, Corrie ten Boom, forgive me for all I have done.

I said, brother, give me a hand. I forgive you with my whole soul. I am so glad that you asked me. And I really can forgive you, 100%. And then I asked, why do you look so dark when your sins are forgiven?

And then the man put his hands before his face. And he said, oh, my sins, my sins. The cruelties I have done, I can't forget. Now, I can understand that. But this was not from the Lord, that he was still worrying about his sins.

But the devil always shows us our sins. And the Bible tells us when we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us. And the blood of Jesus cleanses us from all the sins we confess. A little girl broke a beautiful cup of her mother.

And she brought it to her mother. And she said, mother, I am so sorry I broke your cup. And the mother said, all right, I will forgive you. Just put the pieces in the garbage can. But the stupid little girl the next day saw in the garbage can these pieces.

And she took them again. And she said, mother, yesterday I broke your cup. The mother said, leave that in the garbage can. Just think of my forgiveness. Do you know that when you have repented of a sin, that that sin is dead?

Give it a burial and you don't go to the graveyard to look at a dead body. When you have brought your sins to the Lord, you can be sure that God is faithful and just to forgive you. I have this week a very good hostess.

She always knows when I'm thirsty. And I'm sure when I come tonight that she will say, well, you have a cup of coffee or a little bit of ice cream or anything. And then I have hardly to say it or she put it in front of me.

Now, just imagine when she tonight gives me a cup of coffee and that I should say to her, oh, please, can't you give me a cup of coffee? I should be ashamed. I shouldn't honor her as my hostess. When she put a cup of coffee in front of me, I honor her.

When I drink it and perhaps say, my, what a good coffee. It is almost as good as Dutch coffee. My friends, when God says I am faithful and just to forgive you, then God means it. And take the forgiveness and don't ask for a second time forgiveness for the same sin.

God's Strength Is Made Perfect in Human Weakness

Now, one thing more. Don't look to your inability. You know, I have found out that sometimes when I see that I cannot do a job, that then God uses me. You know, so often I come to the Lord and I say, oh, Lord, I cannot do this.

And then the Lord, I believe he smiles and he says, oh, Corrie, I knew it already a long time that you couldn't. And I'm so glad that you know it. Now I can do it. God can use nobody. God made Moses was 40 years somebody and then God made him 40 years nobody.