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In more than three decades of my Christian life, I have been blest by 2 types of Daily devos'
(matter not exceeding 500 words) in universal Christian literature. Not only those Devos'
which have a different theme everyday but also the ones which revolve around a certain
theme over a period of time, say a fortnight, have richly edified me. In fact, both
styles have their own inherent advantages. If the former style caters to the varying
spiritual needs of a christian from day-to-day, the latter aims 'to ground'
a child of God in a certain subject in order he derives the full benefits of the
deep insightful study of a certain topic, spread over a fixed span of time.
In my Daily devo page, I have consciously tried to go in for 'a blend of both the
styles' whereby within a constant theme, I would be aiming to focus on different
facets of it which admittedly is a closer imitation of the 'Constant theme' style
than the 'Varying topics' one.
Having dwelt on the topic of Christian journey and the “Conquest of Canaan”
in the previous months, now in the month of March, considering that
we are in the season of Lent, I intend to focus on the subject- “Lent season”.
Once again, let me wish you a happy and an edifying read…
Suresh Manoharan
29th Lent Day
The purpose of temptations-1
He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver;
he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver.
- Malachi 3:3
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After reflecting on the Resurrection-related doubts, as we wind down
our meditations on the season of Lent, let us once again go back to
the subject of “Temptations” (refer also once again to devo dated March 3rd)
we had focused upon before. Why temptations? To man who naturally wants
to “maximize pleasure and minimize pain”, they seem to be as irksome as an uninvited guest.
The Creator who owns every cell in our body, has the greater right on us,
then than anybody else, yes including ourselves. He created us in His perfect
image, man by his fall marred it and one of the primary purposes of temptation
is to restore that pristine image in us. In that connection, I want to relate
an interesting story…
Once a woman was puzzled and wondered what the Bible verse "He sits as a refiner
and purifier of silver"
(Malachi 3:3)
meant about the character and nature of God.
She offered to find out the process of refining silver and called a silversmith
and made an appointment to watch him at work.
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 so 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 says: "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 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 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."
“…And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we
are changed into his glorious image.”
– II Cor 3:18
If today you are feeling the heat of the fire, remember that God has
his eye on you and will keep watching you until He sees His image in you and,
no matter whatever you are going through now, you will be a better person in the end!
Prayer:
Father, even as we encounter many trials and temptations in our lives, we accept
Thy will in sending them, because we realize that they are accomplishing a greater
purpose in our lives…making us more Christ-like. We praise thee once again
in Jesus name. Amen.
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