Refiner’s Fire

Today we’re looking at Psalm 66.

As I’m writing, this is the week of VBS and my ears are still ringing from all of the screaming this morning! V-B-S is the BEST! V-B-S is the best! Verses 1-2:

Shout for joy to God, all the earth! Sing the glory of his name; make his praise glorious!

- Psalm 66:1-2

Picture with me the scene this morning: DJ laying on the stage jamming on the guitar, Sammy and Ethan jumping up and down and running all over the stage. It was intense! On top of that, there were 185 VBS kids and 50 leaders crammed around the stage and in the aisles shouting for joy at the top of their lungs! For a minute, I thought I might be in a mosh pit! I imagine God was loving every minute!! Verses 3-8:

Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds! So Great is your power that your enemies cringe before you. All the earth bows down to you; they sing praise to you, they sing the praises of your name.

Come and see what God has done, his awesome deeds for mankind! He turned the sea into dry land, they passed through the waters on foot - come, let us rejoice in him. He rules forever by his power, his eyes watch the nations - let not the rebellious rise up against him.

- Psalm 66:3-8

The Psalmist is remembering God’s power when the Israelites made the exodus from Egypt. In Exodus 14:21-22, Moses stretched out his hand over the sea and the Lord parted the water. The Israelites walked through the water on dry ground. Wow! Can you imagine?

God reigns sovereign over the universe and His reach spans the galaxies, but He is also in the most minute details of our lives. The job loss, cancer diagnosis, financial trouble and rebellious kids. He knows when we start to pull away from Him, and gently allows difficult things in our lives to help us grow. Verses 10-12a:

For you, God, tested us; you refined us like silver. You brought us into prison and laid burdens on our backs. You let people ride over our heads; we went through fire and water…

- Psalm 66:10-12a

The refiner's fire is real! If you watch a silversmith, he holds a piece of silver over the middle of the fire and lets it heat up where the flames are the hottest in order to burn away all of the impurities. The silversmith sits in front of the fire the whole time the silver is being refined. If the silver is left a moment too long in the flames, it is destroyed. And this is the best part: he knows when the silver is refined because he can see his image in it!  

There are times God looks at us and sees our faults. You see, we have flaws and impurities that need to be removed. We might not even realize it. Over time we can develop bad habits, turn away from Him, or just become indifferent. Simply put: we tarnish. We have to go through the fire of refinement! But if you continue the second half of verse 12, it says:

…but you brought us to a place of abundance.

- Psalm 66:12b

That is the point of this Psalm. God has to refine us to be more like Him. That is the point of the refiner’s fire. And as the impurities burn away, He sees His reflection in us!

None of us can anticipate what trials will come into the childrens’ lives that were screaming around the stage today, but they’re learning to lean into Jesus during those seasons of refinement!

Did I mention that I love VBS?!

Pastor Pam

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