". . . For he is like a blazing fire refining precious metal and he can bleach the dirtiest garments! Like a refiner of silver he will sit and closely watch as the dross is burned away. He will purify the Levites, the ministers of God, refining them like gold or silver, so that they will do their work for God with pure hearts." Malachi 3:2b, 3.
Before silver and gold, iron and petroleum, or even raw sugar can be utilized beneficially, they must be separated from all foreign substances. After the solids are melted, the refining fire gets hotter and hotter as impurities and scum come to the top of the boiling liquid where they can be be removed. If the liquid cools before all contamination is removed, the slag settles to the bottom and the process must be repeated.
What about the "spiritual scum" in our lives, those things which are unlike Christ? Hasty words. Impure thoughts. Wrong attitudes. Unkind, thoughtless acts. Can you identify with any of them, or with other "scum" that comes to mind? And how can this "scum" be removed?
God frequently uses people as His refining fire. Friends. Family. Neighbors. Acquaintances. People we work with. Offspring. Spouse. We become irritable with them. Get on the defensive. Scold the kids. Nag our spouse. Yell at the cat. Ad infinitum.
We're all God's ministers, as the above Scripture says, in one way or another. And that's when we need to remember we're still in the refining process. When, by an act of deliberate will, we swallow our pride, our self-righteousness, repent and forgive when necessary, God's Divine love will replace our bitterness thereby removing the "spiritual scum" from our lives. Then we'll be more effective ministers for God.
In the New Year ahead, what positive action, in addition to prayer, can you take to remove the slag and scum from YOUR spiritual life?
Preacher's Kid
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