"He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver." Malachi
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 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."
6 comments:
Thanks for this.....I love it!
I seem to be in the refiner's fire right now. That last line literally took my breath away and brought a rush of tears to my eyes. Thank you!
"The only sufferer is mortal mind."
S&H
What a statement, huh. It sure makes me want to double my efforts to dis-identify with mm!
God is pure Love, not a mean Judge of His ideas. He is only getting rid of our belief in anything else.
Amen.
-Sue
Waayyy cool! Thanks.
Hmmm ... so the silver might see the refining process as a real plus. Maybe kind of nice, hanging out around a fire with the maker and reflecting Him (Her). Only the impurities would be shaking in their boots.
What a perfect article for this week's lesson, thank you so much for this and for all your remarks. They are such a blessing and I am so grateful. Much love.
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