Over the years as a Believer, I’ve heard our learning process referred to as, “God is turning us into a vessel of honor, taking away all the dross.” Dross: the waste that comes to the surface of melting metal. Gold bullion usually has base metals such as lead, copper, iron, often bismuth, and traces of other stuff as well. Since I really don’t know that much about refining gold I decided to google the subject just to see what I could come up with. Well, it is way too much to explain in a blog…more like a 4 page term paper...LOL!!! But it did give me insight as to how precise and time consuming it can be.
Gold boullion melts at 1,102 degrees C or 2 015.6 degrees F. So just imagine the furnaces needed to melt down the bullion in order to become gold bars or prepare it for coining. And then there is the process of stirring the melted mixture with a lead spatula that has to be heated until it glows bright red. All the dross (waste) must be dredged off the top and — it requires practice and dexterity to take the melting-pot from the furnace (using a pair of long tongs) to cast the bars, so there is no spilling or chilling (cooling before it is poured) of the mass. Wow!! So when you think of this process in terms of God working to refine us and bring all the dross (waste) to the surface and then mold and perfect us, no wonder the learning process can seem so hard at times.
The reason gold has different Karats is due to the purity of the gold and how many times it’s been refined. So, 24 karat gold goes through much more than 14 karat or 10 karat. That is why you pay more for it. And just as it didn’t become 24 k with the first melting and firing up, neither do we. Sometimes the melting of gold is a long and slow process. Sound familiar? Sometimes life’s trials and tribulations are long and seem to take their sweet old time coming to an end. And when we are in the midst of it, we most often do not see the benefit. It is not until after things have calmed down, (begin to fall into place or our mindset and attitudes begin to change) do we see the benefit of what we have been going through.
I would have to say that the year 2010 has been a year where God has had me in the melting pot and has been slowly skimming off what He considers to be dross — my imperfections that are hindering my relationship with Him. We have a tendency to look for the beautiful finished object of great value when precious metals are refined and made into something. But I am beginning to think that our thinking might be off a bit when it comes to that analogy with God, because we rarely see what He sees in us. So for me, it seems that my refining is helping me to see the great beauty in God. After the hardships of the past 10 months, I am beginning to see God in a different light. He has brought to the surface my unbelief and how much I compartmentalized Him. He’s inspired me to see who He is in totality and not in the way I have been churched to do so over the years. I’m just beginning to get a glimpse of something new with Him, but I do know for sure it was the hardships of this past year that has brought me to this new place. That hot consistent slow fire needed to bring all the guck to the top. Those hidden issues of my heart.
As I’m writing this blog I have a chicken carcass simmering on the stove to make chicken stock. Once the water comes to a boil you must immediately turn it down to a low simmer. Why? Because a boil will make the fat and other guck keep moving around, but you want it to float to the surface so that you can keep skimming if off. And this process takes at least 2 to 3 hours, maybe longer because the simmer is slow and you want a good flavored stock.
Contrary to popular belief there are some things in this world that cannot be rushed. Life with God is one of them. There is no formula (as much as we try to have them) to manipulate God to move on our behalf. Rereading the Old Testament is showing me things I had not see or understood before. I think because I am seeking to know God for Himself and not in the way that I have been taught by others. I am beginning to see how much the organized church is so busy with church that we are missing God in many ways. I’m not judging or criticizing, I’m just stating a fact and if you disagree, I suggest you begin to read your Bible with new eyes. Read it like it is your first time (and for some of you it will be), forgetting how people have pulled scriptures out of context and built ministries on it. Read your Bible and begin to question why we do some of the things we do in church? And where did it come from?
Example, many churches (even large churches on the internet) have a practice of after the collection of tithes and offerings the congregation is asked to stand and declare a declaration of what they are looking for from God for bringing their tithes to Him. (Usually read off a screen) And at the end we finally get around to saying we look to have money to spread the gospel. Mind you, at the end, not the beginning. And so you have new converts (Christians) who come to the Lord and start doing this every Sunday without knowing why? So immediately we are teaching the saints to think that God owes them something or is obligated to do something because they are bringing money He has made a way for them to have. This is wrong. Who came up with this and why do so many churches have this practice is the question we should be asking? Read your Bible in totality, not picking out scriptures for this or that. I hadn’t planned to go here, but I write according to the prompting of the Holy Spirit, so please don’t be upset with what I wrote, just take a good look at why you do what you do and where it is coming from.
It takes God’s timing to create in us that which we were born for and though we have the ability to prolong things, we don’t have the ability to rush things before its time. So if you have been in the valley or wilderness for what seems like a long time, and you are striving to live a life of obedience, don’t be disheartened because it seems that God doesn’t hear you or care. It is not that at all. In fact His love for us is so deep He will allow the hard times if at the end it serves His purpose. The refining process can be lengthy at times and if that is what is needed for us to get to where God wants us to be—then so be it!
Love & Hugs
Ponnie
Wednesday's Blog: Ponnie "Single and Loving
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