Rhythmic Reflections
Debbie Furey
Over the years Debbie has been involved in the leadership of various Christian women's groups. This consisted of serving on boards, teaching bible studies, speaking at meetings and conferences, and planning retreats. Debbie has also taught many biblical courses for women’s small groups at her church. Debbie is an author that shares her insights at her blog where she loves to encourage others through poetry.
Remove the Dross
(July 2024)
God speaks to His children in many different ways. One of the ways He speaks to me is through poetry. As I sit in my devotional time and listen, I quiet myself and ask God what is on His mind. The verses of poetry come to me slowly line by line. Sometimes the poem will be what I am thinking and sometimes I write down what I think I hear the Lord speaking to my heart. It might even be a conversation between the two of us. The topics are many and varied.
To understand this next poem, you have to understand how the refinement of gold and silver happens. The refiner sits at the melted pot of metal and heats it to a liquid stage. Impurities, called dross, then come to the surface where they can be skimmed off. If they are not skimmed off, the impurities then mingle back in with the metal when the metal cools down. To further remove the remaining impurities the refiner needs to turn the heat back up again to bring the dross back to the surface.
When a refining fire happens in our lives, and brings sin to the surface to deal with, we need to get rid of the impurities in our life hindering our relationship with God. If not, don’t be surprised to find the heat getting turned up again and again. The Lord does this to discipline and purify us, not destroy us. It is because He loves us and wants to pull the things out that are harmful.
How do we know when the dross is gone from the pot of gold? When the refiner looks in the pot and sees his reflection staring back at him.
“The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold, But the Lord tests the hearts. ”
I will leave you with this thought. God has made a way in the midst of all our failures. He promised that everything we go through, the good and the bad, will work out for our good. What greater treasure could we experience than that?
Remove the Dross
Get ready, get ready, My love, My desire
The refinement procedure does include fire
For in this process the dross will arise
Impurities will surface that have been hindering the wise.
Get ready, get ready to remove all the dross
Failure to do so will reveal a tremendous loss
For if it remains and the mixture gets cool
The result is a child who acts like a fool.
How will you know when no dross is detected?
You will look in the mirror and see Me reflected
Christ in you, the hope of your glory
To be joined with Me is your song and your story
Get ready, get ready, and make your robe white
Put holy salve on your eyes for new sight
I am waiting behind the lattice at the door
Will you hear Me knocking or will My voice you ignore?
Get ready, get ready come dine with Me
Our love will last throughout eternity
Those who overcome I will give the right
To sit on by My side forever in My sight.