18 December 2008
Enduring the Fire
Posted by Joy Bischoff under: General .
Although I try not to post too many circulating emails, sometimes they are too good to pass up. My friend Peter Anderson sent me a wonderful email that I felt was good to reflect upon even if some of you have seen it before. We are living in a day of impatience where few are willing to be still and know that He is God. In our instant society, it is hard to be patient and allow the Lord to do His perfect work. We may want to say at times, I would be patient if the trials weren’t so fiery, but as the story below illustrates, it is that very fire that brings the work to fruition.
Malachi 3:3 says:
‘He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver.‘
This verse puzzled some in a Bible study and they wondered what this statement meant about the character and nature of God.
One of the women who attended the Bible study offered to find out the process of refining silver and get back to the group at their next meeting.
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.
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2 Comments so far...
HerculesMulligan Says:
20 December 2008 at 4:57 pm.
Zechariah 13:8-9:
“‘And it shall come to pass in all the land,’ says the LORD, ‘that two thirds in it shall be cut off and die, but one third shall be left in it: I will bring the one-third through fire will refine them as silver is refined, and test them as gold is tested. They will call on My name, and I will answer them. I will say, “This is My people,” and each one will say “The LORD is my God.’”
Great post. 
E.E. Says:
21 December 2008 at 12:12 am.
Hey, I guess the comments have been turned back on. That’s great. I agree, great illustration story and great scripture, Hercules.
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