Fiery Trials

"When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie,
My grace, all sufficient, shall be thy supply:
The flame shall not hurt thee; I only design
Thy dross to consume and thy gold to refine"

Many of the people who regularly read this blog, read another blog from a friend of ours who the husband may have lost his fight with cancer even a I post. He is a young father, 30-ish with a lovely young wife and 2 young children.

They have been an encouragement to many over the last year and half, or so, in how they have endured this extreme trial in their lives. When I read the post this morning that they were in the ambulance going back to the hospital and that it look like the end was very close, this hymn came to my mind.

I actually have been thinking about the "fire" around me for a couple of days now. The Refiner chooses to refine those He loves. His purpose for refining is that we might be pure and complete when He is finished with us. The impurities are not going to come out if the temperature is not hot, and the hotter it gets the more pure we will be. BUT, that doesn't make the heat less hot. I was thinking about that fact yesterday and was so encouraged by the thought that He knows exactly what temperature each of needs to be purified, and how much heat we can take. He will only give us what we need and can handle. Even more encouraging than that, He also is the One who gives us strength to endure it. He gives us both the trial and the power to endure the trial. "All" we have to do is let Him do His perfect work in us and trust that He will do what is best for us.

Please pray for Grace, the kids and the family that they would have strength in this refining time, that God's peace would be so evident in their lives to all around them and that Andrew would finish strong, as He goes to be with his Savior.

Andrew has been through so much pain the past year or so and if today is his home-going what a blessed time it will be for him. No more sickness, pain, or chemo and the cares of this life will be over as he sits at the feet of Jesus and looks into the eyes of the One who endured the shame and disgrace of the ones He created to die on the cross that this moment would be possible for those who trust in Him.

Hallelujah, what a Savior.