C.H. Spurgeon
February 9 – The Dross Purged
“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.” – Zechariah 13:9
Grace transmutes us into precious metal, and then the fire and the furnace follows as a
necessary consequence. Do we start at this? Would we sooner be accounted worthless,
that we might enjoy repose, like the stones of the field! This would be to choose the
viler part – like Esau, to take the pottage and give up the covenant portion. No,
LORD; we will gladly be cast into the furnace rather than be cast out from Thy
presence!
The fire only refines; it does not destroy. We are to be brought through the fire, not
left in it. The LORD values His people as silver, and therefore He is at pains to purge
away their dross. If we are wise, we shall rather welcome the refining process than
decline it. Our prayer will be that our alloy may be taken from us rather than that we
should be withdrawn from the crucible.
O LORD, Thou triest us indeed! We are ready to melt under the fierceness of the
flame. Still, this is Thy way, and Thy way is the best. Sustain us under the trial and
complete the process of our purifying, and we will be Thine forever and ever.
OBBC 