Refiner's Fire

I got this in my mail today and wanted to share with you. Be encouraged.

Malachi 3:3
"He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver."

This verse puzzled some women in a Bible study and they wondered what thisstatement meant about the character and nature of God. One of the womenoffered to find out the process of refining silver and get back to the groupat their next Bible Study. That week, the woman called a silversmith andmade an appointment to watch him at work. She didn't mention anything aboutthe reason for her interest beyond her curiosity about the process ofrefining silver. As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silverover the fire and let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, oneneeded to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames werehottest! As to burn away all the impurities. The woman thought about Godholding us in such a hot spot; then she thought again about the verse thatsays: "He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver." She asked thesilversmith if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the fire thewhole time the silver was being refined. The man answered that yes, he notonly had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on thesilver the entire time it was in the fire. If the silver was left a momenttoo long in the flames, it would be destroyed. The woman was silent for amoment. Then she asked the silversmith, "How do you know when the silver isfully refined?" He smiled at her and answered, "Oh, that's easy -- when Isee my image in it" If today you are feeling the heat of the fire, rememberthat God has his eye on you and will keep watching you until He sees Hisimage in you.