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 about 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 so 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 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.
Pass this on right now. This very moment 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." (Author Unknown)
I don't know who wrote this but only that it has been passed along via email and now I am passing it on to you. You see, holiness is your destiny (not holier than thouness!) and whatever way God chooses, He will make you into His image but He will not hold you in the fire a minute longer than is necessary. Let's be a shining reflection of His glorious face! Let's not be someone who condemns and looks down on others who do not yet know Him. Let's be the flame that draws others to the light that shines in the darkness by the power of His love. We don't have to do this under our own power (impossible!); we have His power which works within us as it says in Colossians 1:28-29, "We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete in Christ. For this purpose also I labor, striving according to His power, which mightily works within me." (NASB) And, "Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." Ephesians 3:19-21 (NIV)
"Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord." Hebrews 12:14 (NIV)
"So roll up your sleeves, put your mind in gear, be totally ready to receive the gift that's coming when Jesus arrives. Don't lazily slip back into those old grooves of evil, doing just what you feel like doing. You didn't know any better then; you do now. As obedient children, let yourselves be pulled into a way of life shaped by God's life, a life energetic and blazing with holiness. God said, "I am holy; you be holy." 1 Peter 1:13-16 (The Message)
"Continually restate what the purpose of your life is. The destined end of man is not happiness, nor health, but holiness...The one thing that matters is whether a man will accept the God who will make him holy." Oswald Chambers
Dear Lord, Make us holy even as You are holy. Refine us in Your holy fire so that we might be shining reflections of Your lovingkindness, Your holiness, Your faithfulness. Let us accept You and let You make us holy. Help us to not let our busyness distract us from our purpose in this life: holiness.
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