Refined

I’m not experienced at refining precious metals from scrap. I am aware that there is some profitability in it for the person who has the tools and access to enough scrap metals that contain more precious metals. I have seen metals heated to the point they become liquid and I’ve heard of the term “dross” which is the “worthless foreign matter, dregs or mineral waste that comes from molten metals”.

In Zechariah the Lord is about to refine His people. He is about to “test their metal”. Check this out….

9 This third I will put 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.”’ (Zechariah 13:9 NIV)

There are times that I’ve felt like I was being refined in the fire. The Lord doesn’t tempt me or seek to destroy me. I do think that the Lord wants to destroy the “worthless foreign matter” that is in my life. There are many distractions here in our culture that takes our eyes off of the Lord. He wants to help us cast off the distractions and focus our attention totally upon Him. The refining process is not easy. It requires intense heat and the precious metal will pretty much be all that’s left from the fire’s intensity. If the fire is hot enough, the dross comes to the top and is poured off and discarded. If I look honestly at my life, I have a good bit of dross that needs to be discarded. I’m going to hold on to the Lord through out the refining process because I know He’s present and He’s patient with me. I’m thankful for both His Presence and His Patience.

Pressing On!

Dwayne