The Other Side of Fire
June 28, 2009
The story is told of a woman who read Malachi 3:3. She wondered what this passage on refining and purifying silver meant. Some weeks later, the inquisitive lady found herself in a silversmith’s shop. She noticed that the man held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat. When she asked the reason for this, he told her the metal needed to be placed in fire in order to burn away its impurities. Thinking about another part of the Malachi passage, the woman asked the silversmith if he had to sit in front of the fire while the metal was being refined. “Oh, yes,” he responded. “If the silver is left in the heat a moment too long, it would be destroyed.” That statement led the woman to a final question. “How do you know when the silver is fully refined?” “That’s easy,” chuckled the silversmith. “It is refined when I can see my image in it.” There is a lesson here for us, West Broad and friends. You may be “in the fire” this morning — difficulty, disappointment, and despair may seem never-ending. But the good news of the day is that you can take confidence in the fact that the heat will not destroy you. This is true because the Silversmith is at work, and he will not allow you to be overwhelmed, defeated, or consumed by adversity. According to Malachi, our God is watching; the Father is aware of your plight. He knows your pain and will guide you through it so that on the other side of fire you can realize your purpose of reflecting his image in the world. Please think about it, and be encouraged! —JLNJR (Resource: Internet forward, 2/4/07).
