Through the fire

Scripture:

 Zechariah 13:9 "I will bring that group through the fire and make them pure.  I will refine them like silver and purify them like gold.  They will call on my name, and I will answer them.  I will say, 'These are my people,' and they will say, 'The Lord is our God'".

Observation:

God here is talking about a day when He will purge, cleanse, purify, and refine His people.  As they are purified, it also says that then they will call on His name and He will answer them.  Purity brings power!  Here we see God speaking to His people and telling them that when their day of fire and purifying is over, He will answer them as they call.  God is looking for a holy people who are consecrated to Him.

Application:

Everyone wants the blessing of the Lord and the power of the Lord.  Everyone wants to call on Him and get answers, but nobody wants the purifying and purging fire of the Holy Spirit to work on their lives.  It is a beautiful thing to be refined as gold or silver, but the fire is also hot and most of us don't want that in our lives.  The fire is uncomfortable, but necessary.  If we want His blessing, we must desire His fire to purify us.

Prayer:

Father, purify my life.  Work on me today that I may be more like You.  Let Your Spirit purge and cleanse me today and let my life look more like Yours.  I want to resemble my Father in every way possible.  help me do it well.

Your Son,
Jeff