Scripture
“I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come,” says the Lord Almighty.
2 But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner’s fire or a launderer’s soap. 3 He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. Then the Lord will have men who will bring offerings in righteousness, 4 and the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem will be acceptable to the Lord, as in days gone by, as in former years.
Reflection
The process of refining gold and silver requires placing the unrefined ore into a blazing hot fire. This flame is so hot that it literally burns away everything but the gold or silver. You see, gold and silver are interesting precious metals. They can withstand heat much hotter than other elements. When purified are worth so much more than other metals. The analogy of refining by fire is interesting because of a few things. First, it can be painful. Who likes being subjected to intense fire (figuratively) in their lives? But that is what is required to burn away all the impurities in our lives. Second, we often forget that God made us much more resilient than we think we are. If we are like gold and silver, then that means that we are able to withstand that intense heat and that we are made of so much more than we think we are and capable of so much more than we think we are. We often don’t see our full worth, but God does. And He’s willing to go to the proper lengths to make us all that He sees we can be (Josh).
Thoughts for the day
- In what way do you feel God is refining you?
- Whom can you ask to support you during this refining period?
- How can you supprt someone else in their refining period? ?
Prayer
Take time to praise today. If you’ve got a phone and headphones, carve out time today to listen to worship music, or a song that helps you to connect with God. Start and end your regular routine with praise (remember, you don’t have to sing out loud!).
