[Cerek the Barbaric]

Great Post, Elif.
Here is another good one I recently received from a friend.

THE SILVERSMITH

There was a group of women in a Bible study on the book of Malachi.

As they were studying chapter three, they came across verse three which
says: "He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver." This verse puzzled
the women, and they wondered what this statement meant about the character
and nature of God. One of the women offered to find out about the process of
refining silver and get back to the group at their next Bible study.

That week this woman called up a silversmith and made an appointment to
watch him at work. She didn't mention anything about the reason for her
interest in silver 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 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 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 man 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 even 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 you are in
God's hands. He has His eye on you, and He will keep holding you and watching
you until He sees His image in you.

HAVE A BLESSED DAY!