Recently my parish Gospel Choir was invited to sing at a Baptist Church Revival. We have sung at this church before since our choir director's mother is a member there. Our choir has been together for a long time and we enjoy these kinds of invitations. We are invited to sing at several different events each year.
I was struck by a story that the preacher leading the revival told the congregation. I want to share this story with you because what he said made a deep impression on me.
His story was about a man who was watching a silversmith refining silver. The silversmith had a quantity of silver that he was working with. He grasped a lump of silver with his tongs and aimed the tongs into the fire at its hottest point. The man watching the silversmith asked him what he was doing.
The silversmith replied that this fire was so hot that it would burn away all the impurities in the silver. When the impurities were gone, the silver would be refined and perfect; a thing of beauty. The man questioned the silversmith further and asked: "How do you know when the silver is purified and refined?"
"When I can see my face in it!" replied the silversmith.
The preacher then explained how similar this refining process is to what happens to us when God allows us to experience the sorrows, temptations, tragedies and challenges of our daily lives. We are tested and often given more than we believe we can bear; but through our belief and trust in God, we know that we are being purified and refined so that one day, when God looks at our souls, He will see His Face looking back at Him.
I had never thought of our God refining and purifying us in just this way... Maybe you haven't either. That's why I wanted to share this story with you.
