You, O God, have tested us

.... You have refined us as silver is refined (Psalm 61:10). I mentioned earlier that Chuck Pearce prophesied last September that there would be a massive plague that would test us though passover. And let's face it, this caronavirus is certainly testing us. We did an online service yesterday with the theme “To fear or not to fear” (see

https://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/carolanngoodman/episodes/2020-03-22T07_36_48-07_00 ). We will fear neither man, nor pestilence (including the coronavirus), nor angels (Hebrews 13:6; 2 Chronicles 7:13; Luke 1:3). We should however fear the Lord, since the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs .....). We do need to position ourselves (2 Chronicles 7:13 agin). Without the fear of the Lord we will not likely position ourselves in the necessary humbling of ourselves, our prayer live and our turning from our wicked way (verse 14).

The story is told of a lady who visited the silversmith to find out about the refining process. The heat, he told her brings the dross to the surface so it can be skimmed off. The dross of course, is the impurities in the silver. “I need to be very accurate,” he told her. “If it's not hot enough, dross will remain. If it is too hot, the silver will spoil.” When she asked him how he know it was right to stop the process he replied “When I can see my reflection in the silver.” Peter tells us “Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you” (1 Peter 4:12). And God has promised that He will not let you be tried beyond what you are able to bear, but with the trial will also provide a way out so that you may be able to endure it (1 Corinthians 10:13 NET). Other translations speak of temptation rather than testing, but in any case, the provision is always accompanied by the Grace we need to endure it. We do, of course have to embrace the Grace (Hebrews 12:15).

In verse 12 of the Psalm the Psalmist says “We went through fire and water, but You brought us to a place of abundance.” And He promises us that He will be with us, and that “when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you” (Isaiah 43:2). And this shaking (Hebrews 12:26) includes our health, our finances, our security, our confidence in anything but Him. The Psalmist looks back to previous times of testing and says that the Lord brought them to a place of abundance, overflowing. And what the Lord did before He will do it again. Jesus tells us “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you” (Luke 11:9).

So Father, we come to You this morning first of all thanking You that You have already provide the way to get through this time of testing. And we are asking first of all for a double portion of Your grace to receive Your Grace. Help us to trust You Lord, and give us faith to believe that in Your time You will restore Shalom peace to every area of our lives. And in the meantime give us Grace to endure as You sit with us carefully as a refiner silver, as You remove the dross from our lives in Jesus Name Amen