Refiner of Silver

Mal_3:3 And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness.

“He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver,” but He knows how long, and like a true goldsmith He stops the fires the moment He sees His image in the glowing metal. – From Streams in the Desert.

This quote from that “Italian prophet Malachi” is decidedly fearful to me and at the same time eternally beautiful. Just the thought of standing before the Lord as He reads my heart, my mind, the intent of my actions unveiling every speck of hidden dross as I stand by that conveyor belt so aptly envisioned by Pastor Dave. Engraved in my memory through one of his sermons is in a word scary. This vivid picture is of my life’s deeds passing before me and being tested by the Lord’s incendiary glare where nothing is hidden and all worthlessness is reduced to ashes. Any and all good that remains is of His doing, never my own! The precious shards of Righteousness proceed to the Lord’s crucible where the final tests of purification result in His seeing His own image reflected in what has become my eternal soul. Scary because I know my imperfections and beautiful because only He can remove them forever. What can we say but “Well done good and faithfull servant.” This vivid picture is of my life’s deeds passing before me and being tested by the Lord’s incendiary glare where nothing is hidden and all worthlessness is reduced to ashes. Any and all good that remains is of His doing, never my own! The precious shards of Righteousness proceed to the Lord’s crucible where the final tests of purification result in His seeing His own image reflected in what has become my eternal soul. Scary because I know my imperfections and beautiful because only He can remove them forever. What can we say but “Well done Good and Faithfull Shepperd.”