“Praise be to the LORD, for He showed me the wonders of his love
when I was in a city under siege. In my alarm I said,
‘I am cut off from your sight!’
Yet you heard my cry for mercy when I called to you for help.
Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the LORD.”
Psalm 31:21-22, 23
Dear Heavenly Father, we praise you. We thank you for your everlasting love, a love that is so profound, so complete, so encompassing, that we can never fully comprehend it on this side of heaven. Lord, there are a multitude of ways we can find ourselves under attack, whether it’s from people, from our own failing bodies, or as a target of your enemy, but you constantly surround us with the strength of your protection and provision.
No matter what’s happening in our lives, we need not fear. We trust that you use those times of trial as heat that brings to the surface the dross of our hearts – those hidden weaknesses only you fully see.
Help us remember we don’t need to hide from you because of those weaknesses, but you call us to come to you in the confidence of your love and grace, in the name of your Son, and confess those weaknesses – our fears, our anxieties, our pride, and give them all to you, that you might refine us as pure gold, and prepare us to enter into your presence.
We put our hope and trust in you again, for you are worthy, our LORD and our King. We pray all this in the mighty name of Jesus, our Messiah, amen.
Amen (thanks)
I love that song, your devotional made me think of it. I made a poster of it one year for of the retreats. As a young woman I used to want to run away from trials… the refiner’s fire… I can’t say I look forward to them now, but the truth is I guess I have a love/hate relationship with them… I want to be spiritual, ethereal and sing this song and mean it with all my heart. To be real, honest before the Lord… I’d like to be as gold and precious silver … but with out all the fire… I guess it is like exercise, no pain no gain! Thanks for your prayer Dorci and for reminding me to stand and let the dross come up to the top to be removed.
Refiner’s Fire
Purify my heart
Let me be as gold and precious silver
Purify my heart
Let me be as gold, pure gold
Refiner’s fire
My heart’s one desire
Is to be holy
Set apart for You, Lord
I choose to be holy
Set apart for You, my Master
Ready to do Your will
Purify my heart
Cleanse me from within
And make me holy
Purify my heart
Cleanse me from my sin
Deep within
I know just what you mean. I don’t love the pain, either, but I am grateful God loves me enough to let me go through what I need to so I can be more conformed to His Son. It’s amazing, really. And someday the pain will be all gone, and we’ll be prepared to see Him, and do whatever He’s calling us to do when we live with Him forever. 🙂