THE REFINER’S HEAT – Author James M. Gray

This writing has greatly impacted our lives as well as those we encourage.

“He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver.”  Malachi 3:3

Our Father, who seeks to perfect His children in holiness, knows the value of the refiner’s fire.  It is with the most precious metals that the refiner takes the most pains, and subjects them to the hot fire, because such fires melt the metal, and only the molten metal releases it’s impurities and takes perfectly its new form in the mold.  The old refiner never leaves his crucible, but sits down by it, lest there should be one excessive degree of heat to mar the metal.  But as soon as he skims from the surface the last of the impurities, and sees his own face reflected, he puts out the fire.

“He sat by a fire of seven-fold heat,

As He watched by the precious ore.

And closer He bent with a searching gaze,

As He heated it more and more.

 

He knew He had ore that could stand the test,

And He wanted the finest gold..

To mould as a crown for the King to wear,

Set with gems with a price untold.

 

So He laid our gold in the burning fire,

Though we surely would have told Him, “No.”

And  He watched the dross that we had not seen,

And it melted and passed away.

 

And the gold grew brighter and yet more bright,

But our eyes were so dim with tears.

We saw only the fire…not the Master’s hand,

And questioned with anxious fears.

 

 Yet our gold shone out with a richer glow,

As it mirrored a Form above.

That bent over the fire, though unseen by us,

With a look of compassionate Love.

 

Can we think that it pleases His loving heart,

To cause us a moment’s pain?

Oh no, but He sees through the present cross,

The bliss of eternal gain.

 

 So He waited there with a watchful eye,

With a love that is strong and sure.

And His gold did not suffer a bit more heat,

Than was needed to make it pure.