Refiner and Purifier

I had told her it would hurt a bit but she would be ok and she could squeeze my hand if she needed to. It was painful for her. She squeezed my hand tighter and tighter. I told her, “It’s ok, I know it hurts – just keep squeezing my hand tight.” My daughter and I were at the doctor to have a wart burned off of her finger. The doctor had explained what would be happening. He would apply the Q tip with liquid nitrogen to the wart and hold it there for a short time. He would do this several times. He explained that if he did not apply it long enough, it would not do what it was supposed to do. If he did it too long, it would not be good for her finger.

This visit to the doctor got me thinking about a few things. As I reflect on this doctor’s visit, I am reminded of a verse - Malachi 3:3 - "He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver". I thought of the similarities between what my daughter went through and some of the painful things we go through in life.

The doctor knew what he was doing. He understood that it would hurt, but he also understood that it needed to be done to remove this “impurity” in my daughter’s finger. The doctor stayed with us, during this time. He didn’t hand my daughter the Q tip and leave the room. He was right there; he sat there and applied the pressure needed to remove this “impurity” in my daughter’s finger.

God knows what he is doing, too. He understands that it will hurt, but he also knows what needs to be done to remove the impurities in our lives. God stays with us the whole time. He doesn’t hand us the “tools” [that he knows need to be used] and leave us alone - "He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver". He sits right there and applies the pressure that is needed to remove the impurity, knowing how much we can take and when it will be too much.

I am going through a particularly painful time. It hurts. I feel the pressure. I feel the pain. I also know that God has not left me. He knows my breaking point. He understands that it hurts. I know that this time will not last forever. I know that God knows what he is doing and he knows that this pain will produce something better. I can’t always see that, but I know that he knows the “refining” process. God may have me in the hottest part of the fire, but he will not leave me and loves me too much to let it destroy me.

This reminds me of a story I read many years ago, I wish I remembered where I read it, or who wrote it, but I do not remember. I will close with it today.

Refiner and Purifier

There was a group in a Bible study on the book of Malachi. As they were studying, they came across Malachi 3:3, which says: "He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver". This verse puzzled them 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 report back to the group the next week.

That week she called a silversmith and made an appointment to watch him at work. She didn't mention anything about the reason for her interest in silver 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 holds the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames are hottest 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; "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, I not only have to sit there holding the silver, but I have to keep my eyes on it the entire time it is in the fire. If the silver is left even a moment too long in the flames, it will be destroyed."

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 the fire, remember that God has His eye on you and He will keep watching you until He sees His image in you.