A Sterling Vessel
A few weeks ago I read this proverb:
“If you burn away the impurities from silver, a sterling vessel will emerge from the fire.” (Proverbs 25:4 TPT)
Hmm…a sterling vessel. I want to be like a sterling vessel, I thought.
For a silversmith, taking the time to put the silver through a rigorous purification process greatly increases its value. Purified silver tarnishes less, making it easier to keep a brilliant shine. It also makes the item more durable.
To which I wonder: What impurities need to be burned away in my life to make me good quality silver? Followed immediately by this second thought: And, how uncomfortable will this purification process be?
For me, I realize that fear is the dross in my life of faith. And each and every day, I’m faced with new, real or imagined, reasons to let fear be present. And each and every day, I hear God nudge me to let go of the fear. This year, I’ve been experimenting with daily, intentional, pursuit of Jesus for the truth he wants to speak into my day. This process is helping to pull out the fear from my life and to live a life of faith.
In those moments when I agree to trusting God in the midst of it all, my faith takes on a shine like a sterling vessel. With a beauty others can enjoy, I become a vessel that carries much love and encouragement to others.
This process of removing fear from my life reminds me of the story of Gideon. Gideon is first introduced to us hiding from the oppressive Midianites that had invaded his homeland. In order to have wheat to eat he was threshing it down in a winepress. And in this position of fear, God sends an angel to Gideon to call out the truth of how God sees him–declaring him a mighty warrior!
Gideon has some “choice words” to bring to this representative of God, highlighting his difficulty in trusting God in this situation:
“But sir, if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us?
And where are all his wonderful deeds that our ancestors recounted to us, saying, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt?’
But now the Lord has cast us off and given us into the hand of Midian.”
(Judges 6:13)
God replies with a bold encouragement and commission to Gideon to be a vessel of salvation to his people.
Gideon points out his lack of qualifications/quality to take on such a task.
And yet, God declares the truth to draw away the fear:
“…But I will be with you…” (Judges 6:16)
The same truth that God declared to Gideon thousands of years ago, God declares to us today. Whatever we are facing, God replies with: “But I will be with you”.
–Melissa Logsdon, NCF Associate Pastor
One Comment On “A Sterling Vessel”
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Thanks Melissa for the good reminder to bring all of our fears to God. As you say, we don’t need to deny them, but we do need to acknowledge them and allow God to move us past them. Thanks again.