Wednesday, November 29, 2006

Malachi 3:3


"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."

If today you are feeling the heat of the fire , remember that God has his
eye on you and will keep watching you until He sees His image in you.
Someone needs to know that God is watching over them.

And, whatever they're going through, they'll be a better person in the end.

"Life is a coin.

You can spend it anyway you wish,
but you can only spend it once."

1 comment:

PealzfromShelz said...

Thank you Kendra - this I knew, but to be reminded gave me chills
"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."


as I become a refined woman of God. Bless you.