SEARCHLIGHT
Will you become more Godlike to reach your full potential?
SCRIPTURE
“Like a refiner of silver, he will sit and closely watch as the dross is burned away. He will purify the Levites, the ministers of God, refining them like gold or silver, so that they will do their work for God with pure hearts.” Malachi 3:3 Living Bible
SPOTLIGHT
The story is told of a group of women who were studying Malachi 3:3 in a Bible study group. “He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver” greatly puzzled them. Questions concerning God’s nature and character arose. Why would their loving, Heavenly Father refine them? Life is hard. Why would God allow or put them through fiery tests and trials?
One of the women offered to explore the process of refining silver and report back to the group. She made an appointment with a silversmith in order to watch him as he worked. The woman did not tell him her specific reason but only expressed curiosity regarding the process of refining silver. On the day of her appointment, she was not disappointed. The silversmith held a piece of silver over the fire to heat it up. He explained that the refining process required him to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were the hottest in order to burn away all the impurities.
Read the above Scripture focus again. The woman’s thoughts went back to Malachi 3:3 which pictures God refining “ministers of God” so they can do God’s work. It says that as God refines, He “sits and closely watches.” She asked the silversmith if it was necessary for him to sit near the fire the whole time that the silver is being refined. The man answered, “Yes!” He not only had to sit close to the fire, holding the silver, but had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire. If the silver was left too long, it would be destroyed. For a moment the woman was silent but then asked the silversmith, “How do you know when the silver is fully refined?” Smiling at her, he answered, “Oh that’s easy – when I see my image in it.”
In the previous devotional from Zechariah 13:9, we learn that God refines you so you will reach your divine potential. Let me restate the key thought. Please understand. God is divine. He is the sovereign, all-knowing God, all-powerful God. He unquestionably knows what He is doing and why He is doing it. God loves believers and considers them to be precious. This is why God refines. He longs for true worshippers to not just be forgiven of their sin and come into a right relationship with Him, but to become more like Him. God wants them to reflect His character. His image was lost in the Garden of Eden. Always remember. Man was made by God to be God-like. God values believers so much He refines them in order to become more like Him as they were first made in His image.
What do you know about GOD, YOUR CREATOR, DESIGNER, AND REFINER? When you walk through fiery tests and trials not caused by you, you must never forget that God is with you. He is sitting with you. His eyes are on you. And most of all, God will watch you until He sees His image in you. Then God will take you out of the fire. You will be more like Him and ready to do His work.
SOMETHING TO DO
There are 4 prophetic books describing God as a Refiner. Checkout Isaiah 43:2; 48:10; Jeremiah 1:2-4; Zechariah 13:9; and Malachi 3:3. Then read Psalm 66:10-12. God, who is divine, chooses to refine believers.
SOUL TIME PRAYER
Heavenly Father, thank you for creating me, designing me, and refining me into Your image. Help me to trust You when the fire is hot. Remind me that You are right there with me. AMEN!