I got this from another list,
Interesting...
> Refiner's Fire
> >     Malachi 3:3 says: "He will sit as a refiner and
> >                       purifier of silver".
> >
> >      This verse puzzled some women in a Bible study
> >  and they wondered
> >  what this statement meant about the character and
> >  nature of God. One of the women offered to find out the process of
> > refining silver and get back to the group at their next Bible Study.
> >      That week, the woman called a silversmith and
> >  made an appointment to  watch him at work. She didn't mention anything
> > about the reason for her interest beyond her curiosity about the
> > process of refining silver. As she watched the silversmith, he held a
> > piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that in
> > refining  silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the
> > fire  where the flames were hottest so as to burn away  all the
> > impurities.
> >      The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot then she
> > thought again about the verse that says: "He sits as a refiner and
> > purifier of silver." She asked the silversmith if it was true that  he
> > had to sit there in front of the fire the whole time the silver  was
> > being refined. The silversmith answered that yes, he not only  had to
> > sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on  the silver
> > the entire time it was in the fire. If the silver was  left a moment too
> > long in the flames, it would be destroyed.
> >      The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silversmith,
> > "How do you know when the silver is fully refined?" He smiled at her
> > and answered, "Oh, that's easy - when I see my image in it."
> >
> >      If today you are feeling the heat of the fire,
> >  remember that God has His eye on you and will keep watching you until
> > He sees His image in you.

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