“For You, O God, have tested us; You have refined us like silver.” (Psalm 66:10)
The mineral silver is found among other minerals and ores. For it to be precious, moldable, and fashionable – it has to be refined. If there is silver in the ore it needs to be smelted at 962 degrees Celsius or 1764 degrees Fahrenheit.
But then, true to God’s word – silver isn’t what’s tested and refined. We are. In our lives of faith we go through fiery trials. Refined like silver we go from the CRUSH to face the CONVICTION. Then in our CONFESSION we work CONVERSION in the lives of other people.
Our fiery trial begins with the CRUSH. Rock which bears that seam of silver needs to be crushed. It needs to be broken up to free the mineral, so that it’s more easily smelted.
Are you feeling the crush? Are you afraid and nervous about what is before you – upon you? That’s the crush of God’s permissive will. 19th century Anglican bishop, R.C. Ryle, said: “Trials are intended to make us think, to wean us from the world, to send us to the Bible, to drive us to our knees.”
From the crush, our righteous God brings the fiery heat to face and feel CONVICTION. Trials, the testing of our faith, are intended to make us think. Have I been following my Savior? Does God have first place in my life?
Weaned from the world we are sent to the Scriptures. The psalmist declares our purpose. “Shout for joy to God, all the earth; sing the GLORY of HIS NAME; give Him GLORIOUS PRAISE.” (Psalm 66:1) Created in the image of God, God intends that we bear His image in bringing glory to His name.
God brings fiery trials to detach us from what we have been devoted. In being convicted – we make CONFESSION. “Save me, O LORD. I have idolized sports’ teams and athletes? I have faithfully attended the shrines of theatres and arenas? I have paid homage to stores with the treasures you have given? It is to my own name that I chose to give glory.”
Driven to confession, “The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” (Psalm 34:18) God melts our hearts of stone; in that a seam of precious grace pours into our lives, because Jesus was “crushed for our iniquities.” (Isaiah 53:5) It is that seam of precious mercy that refines by the Holy Spirit, the Helper
Jesus promised. “Sanctify them by the truth;” Jesus prayed, “Your word is truth.” (John 17:17) We are refined and made holy in clinging to God’s Word of forgiveness.
Jesus glorified Father God in finishing the work He was sent to do. We are then enabled to finish the work we are given to do, to give glory to God in bearing the image of our Savior.
God does not intend we get bitter in being tested, but that we become better. Better at doing what? To shine in the brilliance of polished silver. Jesus taught, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and GIVE GLORY to your Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16) Our purpose: to bear in our lives both the willingness and the joy in following our Savior – in that others would be drawn to CONVERSION. May others see that their only joyful purpose is to bear God’s image in their lives – like we do.
It is in the joy of deliverance, the joy of rescue, the joy of singing glory to God’s name – that the psalmist says, “Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will tell what He has done for my soul.” (Psalm 66:16)
Where fiery trials are needed to raise the purity of our substance and the percentage of our devotion, we are gifted with the ever-present wealth of our Savior’s love and mercy – called to an eternal glory that He purchased for us.
Thanks to be you, Lord Jesus. Amen. •
— By Pastor Neil Stern
St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, Leduc AB