The Fire Is Coming…

“But who will be able to endure it when He comes?  Who will be able to stand and face Him when He appears? For He will be like a blazing fire that refines metal, or like a strong soap that bleaches clothes. He will sit like a refiner of silver, burning away the dross.”  Malachi 3 vs 2-3

 The scriptures above puzzled a group of women.  They discussed it at length and decided that gaining an understanding of the process of refining silver would help them better  understand the character and nature of God. One of them visited a silversmith and watched him refine silver.

As she watched, 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 in front of the fire the whole time. The man answered yes – not only had he to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time that 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 .’

 Questions

In line with the story above, as  each of us is being refined into the image of God, what are the impurities / dross in your life that needs to be burned away by God’s holy fire?

What are some of the characteristics of God based on the story above? How do they apply in your life ?

Share and pray for each other.