Stepping Stones: Do You Dig Deep Enough?

Transformational Tip
The transformational tip for today is that there is great depth in the Word of the Lord. Read the story below and see how one sentence of scripture can teach us so much.

There was a group of women in a Bible study on the book of Malachi. As they were studying chapter three, they came across verse three which says: "He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver."
This verse puzzled the women and they wondered what this statement meant about the character and nature of God. One of the women offered to find out about the process of refining silver and get back to the group at their next Bible study. That week this woman called up a silversmith and made an appointment to watch him at work. She didn't mention anything about the reason for her interest in silver 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 so 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 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 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. For if the silver was left even 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 the easy part--when I see my image reflected in it."

What can we take away from this beautiful story?

1. Our Lord wants the impurities out of our bodies, souls(mind), and spirits. "He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver"
2. Our Lord is with us every minute of every day as we as we go through the process of refinement and purification. "...he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire"
3. Our Lord knows how much we can take, and his timing is perfect because it is his timing "For if the silver was left even a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed"our Lord will never give us more burden than we can manage as long as we are living according to his word.
4. Our Lord truly wants to see Him in us. "Oh, that's the easy part--when I see my image reflected in it."

Prayer
Dear Father God,
I thank you for the wisdom and guidance that comes from You Holy Word. I thank you for the depth of meaning held within each word. I pray that You will fill me with Your Spirit so that I may see more clearly the messages You intend me to take away you're your Word. I pray that You will help me absorb and extract the full message from Your Word and share it with others so that they too can experience your glory and wisdom.
In Jesus' purifying name - AMEN

The Truth
"He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver"
Malachi 3:3
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."
Philippians 4: 6-7
For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
Hebrews 4:12