God’s Smuggler

“O Daniel, servant of the living God, has the God whom you serve so constantly been able to save you from the lions?” Daniel 6:20

Even if Daniel was cast into a den with several lions, the next day he was alive and well, praising God. Do we believe that God can or will deliver us from lions today? 

I am reading the amazing book “God’s Smuggler” about Brother Andrew’s mission to smuggle Bibles behind the Iron Curtain in Eastern Europe following the rise of Communism after World War II. In 1957, there was not a single Communist border over which you could take books of any kind- let alone religious books! 

But Brother Andrew was able to pack his little Volkswagen several times with German, Rumanian, Bulgarian, Hungarian Bibles to bring to the persecuted Christians in those countries. Many times he had to face the lions at the dangerous borders, suspicious lions at consulates, lions waiting to inspect his precious cargo. God made seeing eyes blind as Brother Andrew would pray. 

One time Brother Andrew was waiting to get across the Rumanian border. There were only six cars ahead of him and he thought it would go fast. But no! The inspection for each car took from thirty minutes to an hour. Literally everything in the car was taken out and spread on the ground and every car was put through the same thorough routine. Hub caps were removed, the engine taken apart, seats upended. 

“Dear Lord,” Andrew started praying, “what am I going to do? I know that no amount of cleverness on my part can get me through. Let me take some Bibles out and leave them out in the open where they will be seen. Then Lord, I cannot possibly depend on my own stratagems, can I? I will be depending utterly upon You!” 

Andrew took several Bibles from their hiding places and piled them on the seat beside him. When it was his turn, he gave his papers to the officer standing near. Andrew started to get out but the knee of the officer was against the door, holding it closed. The officer looked at Andrew’s passport, scribbled on it, shoved the papers back and abruptly waved Andrew on. He had made it through the checkpoint in an incredible 30 seconds! Andrew was so excited to catch a spectacular glimpse of God at work!