Refiners Fire

We have all heard the song "Refiners Fire" - purify my heart, let me be as gold and precious silver. I have sang it a million times and not until the other day while reading my devotional did I understand why we were compared to the refinement of silver and gold.

Malachi 3:3
"He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; He will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver"

"As silver and gold need to be refined before they reveal their beauty, so do we. The process of refining includes the melting down of the metal by fires designed not to destroy the metal, but to bring forth its beauty.

The silver is crushed into small pieces and placed into a crucible. The silversmith places the crucible over the fire then watches carefully as the silver melts. Eventually, impurities rise to the top of the crucible. The silversmith scrapes them off carefully. Then a hotter fire is built. Again, the silver is subjected to more heat. Under intense firing, more and more different impurities are released.

The silversmith never leaves the silver unattended in the fire because too much heat may damage the silver. Each time the fire is amplified and impurities removed, the silversmith looks at himself in the melted silver.

At first his image is dim. However, with each new fire his image becomes clearer. When he visibly sees himself, he knows all the impurities are gone. The refining is complete!"

The same things happens with our relationship with the Lord. His goal is NOT to destroy us but to stretch and refine us. We are put in the fire so our impurities will be exposed so we can reflect our Maker! Praise the Lord He loves us enough to refine us! Sometimes in this process we can feel overwhelmed being in the fire. But it is in fire we are challenged to rely on Christ. It is in the fire we are tested. It is in the fire our faith is grown. Its refinement as its best.

1 Peter 1:6-8 says
"In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith - of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire- may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and even though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy."

Lord, may you refine us like silver and gold until we reflect your image. Thank you for never taking you eyes off of us until the process is complete. We acknowledge today that we trust you in every circumstance that we are put in knowing that it is all part of the story you have written for us. I ask that we would remember that the joy of the Lord is our strength, even when we are burning in the fire. Help us to be reminded that your love burns so deep for us and that in all things you work for the good of those who love you. I praise you that you love us enough to refine us and that you desire our hearts to reflect yours. May we be aware of the refinement you are doing in our lives today and obediently walk down the path where you desire to lead us. We love you Abba.

xoxo- N