A group of women were studying the book of Malachi. As
they were studying chapter three, they came across
verse three which says, "He will sit as a refiner and
purifier of silver." This verse puzzled the women and
they wondered what this statement meant about the
character and nature of God. One of the women offered
to find out about the process of refining silver and
get back to the group at their next Bible study.
That week this woman called up a silversmith and made
an appointment to watch him at work. She didn't
mention anything about the reason for her interest in
silver 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 so as to burn away all the impurities.
The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot
spot-then she thought about the verse, that 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 on the fire.
If the silver was left even 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 you are in God's hand, He has His eye on
you, He will not let you be destroyed, and He will
keep holding you and watching you until he sees his
image in you. Will you let Him sit you in the fire to
be moulded? To be polished and purified?
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