Refine – it’s the word on my mind lately.
Typing the word into the bar, I read the definition before me – “to bring to a fine or a pure state; free from impurities; to make more fine, subtle, or precise“ (dictionary.com).
The word implies fire as is used in the process of purifying the dross out of a metal. God often uses this same process, refinement, in the lives of His people …
“And I will bring the third part through the fire, Refine them as silver is refined, And test them as gold is tested. They will call on My name, And I will answer them; I will say, ‘They are My people,’
And they will say, ‘The Lord is my God.’ ”
(Zechariah 13:9, NASB)
God refines us, permitting circumstances in our lives, which He knows will surface those things which may lay hidden and unknown, so that we can become free and unhindered in our relationship with Him.
He is the Refiner, handling our lives with tender care, all the while having complete knowledge and understanding of the process in our lives. He sees the end result and works in our lives to bring us to that place where we are “more fine or more precise”.
That place is where our lives reflect the image of His Son more precisely. It is the place where we know Him more deeply and confidently declare, “He and He alone, is our God”.
Refine – the process of being made refined.
Or maybe it is the very process of where we are made re-fined.
Fine once again.
Photo by Gaspar Uhas on Unsplash
"More fine and more precise." That sounds good to me! Though the process may involve challenge, I can focus my attention on what will be, not what is. As you point out, Joanne, God handles "our lives with tender care, all the while having complete knowledge and understanding of the process in our lives. He sees the end result and works in our lives to bring us to that place." Hallelujah for his attentive, loving training. Thank you for this encouragement today, Joanne!
ReplyDeleteI love the words, "tender care" - what a good Father we have who cares about us so much He refines us - even when it's through a hard challenge - when I look back, I see so much tender care in that refining!
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