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 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.
God is watching over you and whatever you are going through, you
will be a better person in the end.
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