Appointment in Jerusalem (review)

Appointment In Jerusalem by Lydia Prince

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

In December of 1926 Lydia Christensen was a successful 36-year-old Domestic Arts teacher in the city of Korsor Denmark. However, just before Christmas when her longtime friend and colleague Soren asked her to marry him, she couldn’t answer “yes.” She was fond of him alright. But was the settled life in Denmark “it”? Somehow she wanted more.

Back in Korsor after spending Christmas her family in Bonderslev, she decided to spend her vacation reading. Ignoring the literary choices on her bookshelf, she pulled out the Bible. She began to read in Matthew and soon found herself transfixed as the book came alive to her.

When she got to the beatitudes she read Jesus’ words: “Ask and it shall be given you.” Could she ask about the unnamed longing she had been feeling? How did one do that? Should she kneel” Pray aloud? Then:

“And now in the familiar room, with the sound of the clock ticking in my ears, something took place for which my whole background and education left me totally unprepared. … No longer was I looking into the back of the chair. In its place a Person was standing over me. A long white garment covered the Person’s feet. Slowly I raised my eyes upward. Above my head I saw two arms outstretched in the attitude of one bestowing a blessing. … Involuntarily a word rose to my lips: ‘Jesus!’ But even as I uttered it, He was gone” – Kindle Location 450.

Everything changed for Lydia after that. She began to study her Bible seriously and spend lots of time in prayer. She asked for believer’s baptism—a scandalous thing to do in Denmark’s staunch Lutheran culture. She attended meetings with the suspect Pentecostals. And she had more visions.

Appointment in Jerusalem is the account of the several years in Lydia’s life when she went from a secure job as a Danish teacher to doing whatever she sensed God was telling her to do in Jerusalem. There she had a remarkable ministry, especially to abandoned girls, many of whom she adopted.

She later met and married Derek Prince, author and Bible teacher. He wrote Lydia’s story with her input. Written in creative non-fiction style this fascinating biography is sure to encourage and challenge readers of any age. Its clear message of love for Jerusalem and the Jewish people is a welcome one in these days Middle East conflict.

(I read the Kindle edition of this book, which is part of my own collection.)

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