He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. Then the Lord will have men who will bring offerings in righteousness. Malachi 3:3

            A number of years ago we visited the Corning Museum of Glass in Corning, NY.  Everything was very interesting, but my favorite spot was the glass blowing demonstration that they gave where they had a glass artist.  It was fascinating to watch as the artist very careful took a “glob” of glass, then turned it, blew it, and cut it to form the desired object that he had in mind.  As he worked, he explained each step that was necessary.  One very important thing was needed in his work, without which, nothing could be done. That was heat from an intense fire.  The artist had to make a ball of glass red hot and keep it at a specific temperature, or he couldn’t work with it.

            The Lord is very much like a glass blower.  He has a design in mind for each one of us and He wants a beautiful vessel when His work is finished.  He can’t, however, work on us without heat.  We tend often to be cold and indifferent which makes us very hard to work on and in.  God needs to put us in the fire to purify us (impurities in glass will make it weak) and soften us in order for Him to begin to mold us as it pleases Him so that He can use us to accomplish His will.  Sometimes we wonder what in the world God is doing in our lives when the heat gets turned up.  We need to realize that God wants to conform us into the image of His Son, and that happens only with the heat of trials and testing.  This is to bring us to a point of total trust in the Lord, and letting our own wills go, looking only for His. James 1:2-4 tells us:  Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, – (Why!)? because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.  Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete.  The finished product in God’s hands is a beautiful thing!

            Let’s not complain when life seems to spin out of control and get unbearably hot.  God knows what He’s doing.  He knows how much heat is needed to make the vessel just like He wants it.  He may be putting on a finishing touch that will bring great glory to His name!

            Spirit of the living God, fall fresh on me. Melt me, mold me, fill me, use me.

May this be our daily prayer.