It's Getting Hot In Here

You may have seen this information in an email forward, many years ago. I printed it out when I got it in 2005. It has been such a comfort to me during difficult times. I hope you enjoy it! (I apologize for the wonky formatting, not sure how to fix that...)

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Malachi 3:3

"And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver"

This verse puzzled some women in a Bible study and they wondered what
this statement meant about the character and nature of God. One of the women
offered to find out the process of refining silver and get back to the
group at their next Bible study.

That week, the woman called a silversmith and made an appointment to
watch him at work. She didn't mention anything about the reason for her
interest 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 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 says: "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 that 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. If the silver was left 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 easy--when I see my image
in it."

If today you are feeling the heat of the fire, remember that God has
His eye on you and will keep watching you until He sees His image in you.