The Refiner of Silver (306 words)

 (This is not mine, but was sent to me by a good friend many years back, and I wish to share with you as I found it very touching)

 The Refiner of Silver 

“He will sit as a refiner, our purifier of silver”

This verse puzzled some in a Bible study, and they wondered what this statement meant about the character and nature of God.

One of the participants volunteered to find out the process of refining silver and get back to the group at their next Bible study.

That week, the woman called a silversmith and made an appointment to watch him at work. She didn’t mention the reason for her interest beyond the curiosity about 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 fire where the flames were hottest as to burn away all the impurities.

The woman thought about God holding us in such a spot and then she thought about the verse that says, “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 that yes, he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on it all the time it was in the fire. If the silver was left to remain a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed.

The woman was silent momentarily, and then she asked the silversmith, “How do you know the silver is fully refined?”

He smiled at her and answered, “Oh, that is easy, when I see my image on it”

If you are feeling the heat of fire anytime, remember that God has His eyes set on you and will keep watching until He sees His image in you.