This verse puzzled some women
in a Bible study and they
wondered what this statement
meant about the character and
nature of God.
One of the women offered 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
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 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 the silver
the entire time it was in the
fire. If the silver was left a
moment too long in the flames,
it would 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 will keep watching
you until He sees His image in
you.