"He will be like a refiner and purifier of silver; He will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver. Then they will present offerings to the Lord in righteousness." Malachi 3:3
I remember times as a child when I couldn’t wait to become an adult. In my childish way of thinking, I viewed adulthood as the time of life when everything would be smooth sailing. I could make my own decisions and not have to answer to anybody. I’d do everything “my way” and all would be blissful. The confusions and longings of my youthful years would be behind me, and life would always be easy since I’d be in control of everything in my own personal orbit.
Arriving at adulthood…and having to stay there for the rest of my life…what a shock it was to realize that wasn’t the case at all! Life’s major decisions and responsibilities certainly did shift into my care, but the fantasy of carefree, smooth sailing forevermore turned out to be an immature childhood dream. Life’s reality looks more like this: we have our really high seasons of joy, delight, elation and happiness, but there are also seasons of profound bewilderment, despair, grief and loss.
The following story is not my own. I don’t know the author, it’s just one of those gems that is passed along from friend to friend. When it came across my desk, its message spoke to my heart in such a powerful way that I wanted to share it too. It beautifully illuminates the lesson of Malachi 3:3.
“There was once a group of women studying the book of Malachi in the Old Testament. 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 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 as to burn away all the impurities.
The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot – then she thought again 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 'Yes', and explained that 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 in the fire. If the silver was left even a moment too long in the flames, it would be damaged.
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 this world’s fire, just remember that God, our Father has His eyes on you.”
Prayer: Father God, may we find comfort in knowing that in every circumstance, Your eyes are on us. May our hearts be open to Your refining, that we might glorify You and reflect Your image more fully every day. Amen.