Good morning,

The Refining Silversmith ‘And He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver” (Malachi 3:3).

And he shall sit: God is never in a hurry.  He sits while many times we run around.  He sits, while we worry.  He sits showing us that we have stability in Him.  He sits so we know that His lap is always available for us to sit upon in our time of need.  This is for when things are going well or poorly in our lives.

As a Refiners Fire and a purifier of silver: What comes to mind?  I think of working on the details, the kinks, getting the “bugs” out.  An Asian proverb in the book The Five Rings says 1,000 years of training, 10,000 years of refining.  What is the difference between the great sports players and the average ones, refinement?  A good golf player is not able to bounce a golf ball on his club continuously by chance.  He develops his coordination after thousands upon ten thousands of times training.  Look at the instructions for the Tabernacle; do you think God was concerned just a bit about details?  And why does God want to refine us, to make us the most precious silver we can be.  Pure silver is an expensive metal.  That is why Jesus says, “what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and loose his soul“.  We are more precious to God than the whole world.  How does God refine us, take a look at this illustration.

Some time ago, a few ladies met to study the scriptures. While reading the third chapter of Malachi, they came upon a remarkable expression in the third verse: One lady decided to visit a silversmith, and report to the others on what he said about the subject. She went accordingly, and without telling him the reason for her visit, begged the silversmith to tell her about the process of refining silver. After he had fully described it to her, she asked, “Sir, do you sit while the work of refining is going on?” “Oh, yes ma’am,” replied the silversmith; “I must sit and watch the furnace constantly, for, if the time necessary for refining is exceeded in the slightest degree, the silver will be injured.”

The lady at once saw the beauty and comfort of the expression, “He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver.” God sees it necessary to put His children into the furnace; but His eye is steadily intent on the work of purifying, and His wisdom and love are both engaged in the best manner for us. Our trials do not come at random, and He will not let us be tested beyond what we can endure.

Before she left, the lady asked one final question, “How do you know when the process is complete?” “That’s quite simple,” replied the silversmith. “When I can see my own image in the silver, the refining process is finished.”      -Author Unknown-

Final thoughts James 1:2-4 “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.  Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything”.

How do you perceive trials, as stumbling stones or stepping stones?  What trials are you in now that God is using to refine you, but perhaps you’ve been complaining? Blessings, Phil <><