"The Refiner of Silver"

Here's another great reminder as posted on Jenny's blog:

In the Bible, Malachi 3:2-3 says: "...For he will be like a refiner's fire or a launderer's soap. He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver."

This verse puzzled some women in a Bible study and they wondered what this statement meant about the character 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 will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver."

She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there. 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."

What a great reminder to all of us! When we go through troubles in life, God is still there with his eye upon us, refining us, and doing so until He sees His image within us! As Christians, our whole purpose in life is to glorify God in all that we do. Whatever struggles we may be facing, He has not abandoned us. He's sitting right there beside us, strengthening us, and building us up in Him.

Lately, I've been going through some personal struggles, Jenny has, and I know you probably are as well. Just remember, the hard times in life are not a bad thing. They may seem unbearable, and we may feel overwhelmed at the time, but God will not let those flames destroy us. His endless love for each and every one of us is far too great for that.

So, the next time life throws you a curveball and you strike out, just smile and remember, God is refining you. You will not struggle beyond what you can bear.

Have a blessed Thursday all, and until next time,

Your happily blogging friend,
-Jon
posted by Jon at 3:48 PM  I   I  0 comments