Simply Beautiful
Join me, Amy Keck, each week as I weave the simple wisdom of Scripture with the beauty of poetry. May each reflection be a gentle reminder that faith blooms through time spent in God's word.
Simply Beautiful
Refined with Fire
This episode delves into the beautiful paradox that Jesus serves as both refiner and crucible—the one who applies the transformative heat and the vessel that makes our transformation possible. Through scripture and the touching story of Charles Spurgeon's wife, who discovered "music in the fire" during her long-term suffering, we see how God uses our trials to create something beautiful that reflects His image.
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Welcome to Simply Beautiful Podcast. This is Amy Keck. Thank you for joining me today. The topic today is Refined with Fire. Job 2310 says. But he knows the way that I take when he has tested me. I will come forth as gold. I will come forth as gold.
Speaker 1:A missionary named Amy Carmichael, who was bedridden for the last 20 years of her life in ministry, wrote the following words Hardly a life goes deep that has not tragedy somewhere in it. What would such people do without Job? And who could spare from the soul's hidden history the great words spoken to the Apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 12.9? My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. The picture of the refiner is straight from Eastern life. The Eastern goldsmith sits on the floor by his crucible.
Speaker 1:For me at least, it's not hard to know why the heavenly refiner must sit so long. You know, the heart knows its own dross. Who is the heavenly refiner? The heavenly refiner is the one in charge. He is God. He is the one with grace sufficient. He is the one who holds the perfect power to remove the dross in our sinful and corrupt lives.
Speaker 1:It's often difficult for us to understand, especially in a world so consumed with ourselves. We want to be the heroines in our own stories. We wish to be the ones in charge of our own lives. Yet there is a refiner, there is a God, and I venture to say he is also the crucible, in the form of Jesus Christ. The crucible makes it possible for the metal to melt under the heat of the flame. 1 John 3, 16a says we know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. Jesus Christ laid his life down for you and me. Jesus Christ placed himself on the fire so that we could take on the image of our heavenly refiner, who is God. The refiner and the crucible work hand in hand. The refiner applies the heat in order to perfectly extract all the impurities, while the crucible can withstand the heat of the flame. The crucible also cradles the gold as it is transformed into something so pure, something so beautiful that it reflects the refiner's face.
Speaker 1:The refining process is enormously complicated and a highly involved process. This is a beautiful and powerful reflection on the refining work of God in our lives. The imagery of the refiner's fire is both humbling and encouraging. It reminds us that, while the process may involve heat, pressure and even pain, it is ultimately meant. Malachi 3, 2 through 3 says. But who will be able to endure it when he comes? Who will be able to stand and face him when he appears? For he will be like a blazing fire that refines metal, or like a strong soap that bleaches clothes. He will sit like a refiner of silver, burning away the dross. He will purify the Levites, refining them like gold and silver so that they may once again offer acceptable sacrifices to the Lord.
Speaker 1:The refiner watches closely, never leaving the metal unattended in the fire. This reflects how God is intimately involved in our lives, especially during times of trial. He doesn't abandon us to suffering. He is near, carefully overseeing our transformation. Often the fire reveals what we cannot see in our own lives our attitudes, idols, fears or habits that we've grown blind to. When they surface, we might be tempted to despair, but their exposure is a tremendous act of mercy from the Lord. His goal isn't simply to expose what's impure. His goal is to remove it so that what remains is more radiant, more valuable, more reflective of God's image. It's a process of restoration, not punishment. 1 Peter 1, 6-7 reminds us to be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. These trials show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold, though your faith is more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.
Speaker 1:Charles Spurgeon's wife was a great sufferer. She suffered for more than a quarter of a century, and I love what she says whenever she quotes. At the close of a dark and gloomy day, I lay resting on my couch as the deeper night grows on, and though all was bright within my cozy room, some of the external darkness seemed to have entered my soul and obscured its spiritual vision. In sorrow of heart, I asked why does my Lord deal thus with His child? Why does he permit lingering weakness to hinder the sweet service that I long to render to His poor servants?
Speaker 1:For a while, silence reigned in the little room, broken only by the crackling of the oak log burning in the fireplace. Suddenly, I heard a sweet, soft sound, a little clear musical note, like the tender trill of a robin beneath my window. What can it be? Surely no robin is singing out there at this time of the night. My friend exclaimed it's coming from the log on the fire. The fire was letting loose the imprisoned music from the old oak's inmost heart Perchance. He had garnered up this song in the days when all was well with him, when the birds twittered merrily on his branches and the soft sunlight flecked his tender leaves of gold. Ah, thought I. When the fire of affliction draws songs of praise from us, god is glorified. As I mused, the fire burned and my soul found sweet comfort before me, sweet comfort singing in the fire. If the fire is the only way to get harmony out of our hard, apathetic hearts, let the furnace be heated seven times hotter than before.
Speaker 1:Where do you feel the heat right now? Is there a challenge, a struggle or a conviction rising to the surface? Ask God what he's trying to purify in you. Ask God what he wants to do through it. How can you respond? With surrender instead of resistance. How can you respond? With surrender instead of resistance? Remember, the refiner never walks away. God is near in the fire. God is near and he is working for your good and his glory. I'd like to leave you with my poem entitled he is the Crucible. I hope it encourages you. Today. He is the crucible in which he lays the gold. He is able to withstand the heat of the flame Steel graphite. He is wholly fireproof. The blazing fire heats up the entire room. The blue flame is directly placed on the soul, melting, boiling, oozing with imperfection, with imperfection. The process takes time and patience. He is not rushed. He sits on the floor with his gold. He sits and he waits, testing, purifying until it reflects his face.
