The Refiner's Fire September 2003
"And He shall sit as a refiner
and purifier of silver" (Malachi
3:3)
A silversmith's job is long and tedious.
He or she must pay close attention
to detail and be concerned with even
the most minimal facet of the work
at hand in order for it to be acceptable
at its completion. The process of
refining is the art of ridding the
object of impurities. The desire of
the refiner is to bring forth the
metal in its truest form. And so the
silversmith sits nearby and places
the object in the fire. He must plant
himself in such a position as to see
exactly how much heat is being applied
to the metal in order to be prepared
to take it out at just the right moment.
Any length of time too long will damage
the precious work.
Our Divine Silversmith often places
us in the fire. We sometimes find
ourselves in a place that we believe
is too much for us to handle. The
intense heat of our marriage, children,
career, finances or relationships
seem to be scorching the very life
out of us but we must take courage
in knowing that He is sitting nearby.
He is paying close attention to the
heat that he has allowed us to be
engulfed in because He has said, "and
God is faithful, who will not allow
you to be tempted beyond what you
are able, but with temptation will
provide a way of escape . . ."
(1 Cor 10:13)
The silversmith continues to pay attention
to the metal and the scorching heat
surrounding it until it is complete.
And there is only one way that he
can be certain that the work is done
and the metal ready to be removed
from the fire: he must be able to
clearly see his reflection in it.
God's interest is always to make us
look more and more like His son. He
desires to use all of our circumstances,
good and bad, to work inside of us
in such a way that we are refined
into a woman or man in which Christ's
reflection can be seen. No matter
what you life?s circumstances look
like right now you must always remember
that there is something bigger going
on than what you can see with your
natural eyes. This means that you
and I must humble ourselves in the
midst of the fire so that the divine
Silversmith can get busy on our case
and begin His work.
Paul said this, "Have this attitude
in yourselves which was also in Christ
Jesus. Although He existed in the
form of God did not regard equality
with God a thing to be grasped but
emptied Himself, taking the form of
a bond-servant and being made in the
likeness of men. And being found in
appearance as a man He humbled Himself
by becoming obedient to the point
of death, even death on a cross."
Jesus did not like the thought of
dying on a cross but that was not
His focus. His focus was to allow
the Silversmith to do exactly what
He wanted with His life even if that
meant laying it down. And so Jesus
the Christ, knowing that He had the
power not to, still subjected Himself
in humility to the refining process.
This is where He found true freedom
and joy: in submission to His Father's
will.
The same is true for us. No matter
how difficult the cross ahead looks.
No matter how hot the first seems
to burn. If it is the will of God
then it is the only place where you
and I will find true peace; in the
hands of the Master Refiner. This
is the place where we will become
refined. Where the impurities will
be burnt away so that we can be presented
to the Him "perfect and complete,
lacking in nothing". (James 1:4)
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