Pure Gold

Zechariah 13:9 And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God.

Precious metals are "fired" to purge impurities out. Our afflictions are the "fire" that purges our impurities! Still, we pray "father deliver us out of it all" and we don't understand that we are asking God to take away the fire that purges. We don't want to deal with difficulties, pain, or hurts in our life. We just want to breeze through life and everything stay easy and carefree.

Jesus, at Gethsemane, prayed Father let this cup pass from me, nevertheless, thy will be done. He was willing to sacrifice to fulfill His purpose - JUST FOR ME AND YOU. To make it easier for us, to make the way  possible for us to fulfill our purpose, Jesus went to Calvary. His flesh did not want to endure the pain and agony He suffered for us. We must go through the fire to become all that God plans for us. 

He will not leave you to do that alone even. He will be with you all the way, even unto the end. You are His heart; you are His creation. He wants to make you pure gold - precious.

Malachi 3:3 And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness.

James 1:2  My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;

It brings to mind a song my Dad used to sing:

1. Tempted and tried, we’re oft made to wonder
   Why it should be thus all the day long;
   While there are others living about us,
   Never molested, though in the wrong.
   • Refrain:
     Farther along we’ll know more about it,
     Farther along we’ll understand why;
     Cheer up, my brother, live in the sunshine,
     We’ll understand it all by and by.
2. Sometimes I wonder why I must suffer,
   Go in the rain, the cold, and the snow,
   When there are many living in comfort,
   Giving no heed to all I can do.
3. Tempted and tried, how often we question
   Why we must suffer year after year,
   Being accused by those of our loved ones,
   E’en though we’ve walked in God’s holy fear.
4. Often when death has taken our loved ones,
   Leaving our home so lone and so drear,
   Then do we wonder why others prosper,
   Living so wicked year after year.
5. “Faithful till death,” saith our loving Master;
   Short is our time to labor and wait;
   Then will our toiling seem to be nothing,
   When we shall pass the heavenly gate.
6. Soon we will see our dear, loving Savior,
   Hear the last trumpet sound through the sky;
   Then we will meet those gone on before us,
   Then we shall know and understand why.

I pray today that we endure until the end... Lord, help us to be all that you intend for us to be. Faithful to your plan for our lives. Amen.