The Refiner's Fire: A Promise of Hope in Tough Times
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Malachi 3:3 says: "He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver."
This verse puzzled
some women in a Bible study and they wondered what this statement meant about
the character and nature of God.
One
of the women offered to find out the process of refining silver and get back to
the group at their next Bible Study. That week, the woman called a silversmith
and made an appointment to watch him at work. She didn't mention anything about
the reason for her interest beyond her curiosity about the process of refining
silver.
As
she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it
heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in
the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest as to burn away all the
impurities.
The
woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot; then she thought again
about the verse that says: "He sits as a refiner and purifier of
silver."
She
asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the
fire the whole time the silver was being refined. The man answered that yes, he
not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on
the silver the entire time it was in the fire. If the silver was left a moment
too long in the flames, it would be destroyed.
The
woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silversmith, "How do you
know when the silver is fully refined?" He smiled at her and answered,
"Oh, that's easy -- when I see my image in it."
The refining is a part of our being purified for a greater cause--God's image being reflected in us.
Make it a great week!
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