The Refiner’s Fire

Gold born in crude earthen condition 
Impurities girdling, invading within 
Confining hardness needs to be broken 
Release contaminants’ hold 

Mere specks of glory hidden beneath 
Wait for refinement to be revealed 
Heated to melt, burn not away
The gold, but all that is not 

Cast in the fire of sanctification 
Dross bubbling up into confession 
Bars of imprisonment melting away 
The process and time seem so long 

Cries of distress and pleas for release 
Transforming lessons learned in the heat 
Under the hand of the Master Refiner 
Tended with Love in His fire 

With wisdom and skill the refining goes on 
Gold tested, stirred, heated again 
Becoming reflective as Christ’s holy face
Searches deeper the heart 

Will gold dissolve, vanish completely 
Lose all of what makes gold the gold 
Or find as the fire’s turned even hotter 
Gold shines more in the heat 

Oh, joy for refining to escape from 
All that would dull the gold’s brilliant shine
Thank You, Refiner, for Your loving hands 
Holding us safe through the fire

~~~

LORD, thank You Your refining fire leaves us not in our impure, encrusted state. Thank You for Your Word where instruction and solace may be found. May we read it as a child would, with an open heart to hear anew and receive Your quenching, living waters to soothe our hurting souls. Thank You, LORD, for prayer, personal conversation with You. For Your presence, hearing and guiding us, never leaving nor forsaking us…no matter how we feel…as You sanctify and purify us. Thank You for conquering the power of sin and death that we may flourish now and live eternally with You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Jeremiah 5:3 NLT
“Lord, you are searching for honesty. You struck your people, but they paid no attention. You crushed them, but they refused to be corrected. They are determined, with faces set like stone; they have refused to repent.”

Roman’s 12:2 NLT
“Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”

1 John 1:9 NKJV
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”