A THING OF BEAUTY
Proverbs 25:4 says: “Take away the dross from the silver, and there shall come forth a vessel for the finer.” When we come to Jesus, He doesn’t leave us in our mess and our sin. He dwells in us by His Holy Spirit to mold us into the image of Jesus Christ. He works in us mightily to refine us as silver is refined. Ouch That’s not a very pleasant process. The silver is heated in hot furnace to eradicate all the impurities. Only then can it be molded into a pure vessel.
I love the Good News Translation: “Take the impurities out of silver and the artist can produce A THING OF BEAUTY.” God wants to make our lives beautiful. He wants to expose all the junk, all the sin, and all the selfishness that spoils His image in our lives.
It comes down to the reality that we must let Him work in our lives. If we resist, we stay with all our impurities. Our family misses out seeing Jesus in us. The world misses seeing Jesus in us. And we will never be all that God intends for us.
I am always amazed how that even God’s Words were purified in the eternal realm before He gave them to us. Not purified once, but SEVEN TIMES! Proverbs 12:6 says: “The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.” We can trust every word of God’s eternal Word. It is as up-to-date as tomorrow.
Can we let God work in us to mold us into “a thing of beauty”?
Blessings to you today,
NANCY CAMPBELL
Read also Job 23:10; Psalm 66:10-12; Malachi 3:1-3; Isaiah 48:10; 1 Corinthians 3:12-15; 2 Timothy 2:21; 1 Peter 1:6, 7; and Revelation 3:17, 18.
OUCH!
(After reading the post, A THING OF BEAUTY below, you will be blessed by the following:)
“Ouch!” says the lump of clay as the Potter throws it back on the wheel.
The wheel spins faster and faster as the firm hand of the Potter begins to shape the clay.
“Stop it, I can’t take any more,” cries the clay.
The Potter: “I am creating a vessel of HONOR--an instrument of great unsurpassed beauty to be of service in the courts of the King.”
The lump of clay: “Not my will, but thine be done.”
“Ouch!” says the ruby as the Craftsman chips away at the unwanted matter. The sharp instrument grinds deeper as the firm hand of the Craftsman transforms the ruby.
“Stop it, I can’t take any more," cries the ruby.
The Craftsman: “I chose you to be a priceless gem in the palace of the King, a radiant, beautiful treasure of great worth.”
Ruby: “Not my will, but thine be done.”
“Ouch!” says the gold as the Refiner places it in the furnace.
The dross drips away as the Refiner turns up the heat.
“Stop it, I can’t take any more,” cries the gold.
The Refiner: “You are being fashioned to shine forever in the King’s domain where you will reign in spender and majesty.”
The gold: “Not my will, but thine be done.”
“Ouch!” says the tree as the Gardener prunes another branch.
The saw cuts away at the flesh causing great pain.
“Stop it, I can’t take any more,” cries the tree.
The Gardener: “This must be done in order for you to bear more fruit in the garden of the King.”
The tree: “Not my will, but thine be done.”
“Ouch!” says the woman as her Father prizes out a root of rebellion from her heart. The procedure is agonizingly painful.
“Stop it, I can’t take any more,” she cries.
The Father: “My precious daughter, I need to do this to transform you into the image of My own dear Son. Weeping may endure for the night, but joy comes in the morning. Whom the Lord loves, He chastens. The loving discipline may hurt, but it is necessary, for the end result will be glorious.
“I must bring to your attention the things that hinder your maturity so that I can purge them from your heart forever. I am adorning My glorious bride to rule and reign with Me in My Kingdom. I am taking you from glory to glory, from strength to strength. I am stamping my own image upon your heart as you yield to My hand upon your life.”
The woman: “Not my will, but thine be done.”
~ Delwyn McAlister (after going through trials).
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