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A refiner in Biblical times had a special way of purifying his silver. Using a large pot, he placed ore (with a high silver content that was mined from the earth) inside. He would build a huge, blazing fire underneath and carefully waited and watched as the contents started to melt. First he skimmed large amounts of sediment from the top with a wooden spoon. Knowing the silver was not pure he made the fire hotter by add more wood to the already bright flames.

Soon the intense heat would cause impure particles to surface and these, too, were skimmed off of the liquid metal. Still not satisfied with the refinement, the worker turned up the heat with an even hotter flame by using his densest wood. Although this was a long process, the refiner never left his post. He doesn't want to injure the silver by leaving it on the heat too long.

"It is ready" he announced to his new apprentice. With a questioning look the young man readies the molds. The master refiner removed the pot from the heat and allowed the apprentice to look inside. He announced, "You know the silver is perfectly refined when you can see a reflection of yourself. Now it is ready for use."

When was the last time the "heat" was turned up in your life? Maybe your relationships seemed to burn your broken heart or a health problem felt like constant fire or the all-too-common financial hot coals were burning your pocket book. What knowledge or change of personality or insight did you gain from the experience?

The intention of the high heat allowed God to remove the sediment from your character that kept Him from seeing His reflection in your life. He refined character with the blazing warmth of troublesome times in order to remove any particles of self-reliance or disobedience. The surface of a heated heart shimmered with hope. His image soon appeared, as an outline of The Refiner's Reflection. That last bit of high temperature brought into focus a clear image of the Refiner. You are ready for his use.

Zechariah 13:9 "This third I will bring into the fire; I will refine them like silver and test them like gold. They will call on my name and I will answer them; I will say, 'They are my people,' and they will say, 'The LORD is our God.'"

-rhonda deyoung