Psalm 66 - Refined

Psalm 66 - Refined
10 For you, O God, tested us; you refined us like silver.11 You brought us into prison and laid burdens on our backs.12 You let men ride over our heads; we went through fire and water, but you brought us to a place of abundance.
Refining is a difficult process, one that when we are in the middle of….we are never grateful. The helt during refining is at its hottest. I do love that God’s word refers to us as being refined. The fact that we are “precious” metals is a loving analogy. But then, God wants us to become even more precious, more valuable…so he refines us…..to remove any and impurities or imperfections.
When I think of the Refiner….and the process of removing the dross…..the black coat of burnt up impurities on the top of the melted, molten(liquid) gold or silver….scooping all that away…so that when he looks down into the pecious metal….He sees His relflection…..it’s a reminder during the refining process to remove all of the “stuff” that makes us look less like Him.
There is a song by Jeremy Camp called Empty Me….love this;
Holy fire burn away
My desire for anything
That is not of you and is of me
I want more of you
And less of me