I don’t know about you but I don’t do well when technology fails. Almost everything I do, especially at work, depends on computers working. Normally, it does, but about three weeks ago one of our computers failed. Production halted. With what little knowledge about the workings behind the screen and keyboard, I tried desperately to fix it. Nada. Then we called in the brilliant ones and they couldn’t fix it either. It doesn’t stop there. As I write this, our IT Director is diligently working after hours, fixing server issues…a completely different technology issue.

Despite all of this, I thank God for refining my heart about these things. There have been times in the past when I would stomp my feet and throw my hands in the air in total frustration. Sometimes figuratively, sometimes literally.

Now I pause and thank God that everything technical worked beautifully on Christmas Eve. William Close and Earth Harp Collective lead breathtaking music that made our hearts stop as we celebrated the birth of our Christ King, Baby Jesus. Our savior, our redeemer and, yes, our refiner.

In Zechariah, we read about God’s refining*

“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.’”

 –Zechariah 13:9 (NLT)

*Refining is mentioned several times in the Bible and it was quite the process. The ore was crushed to tiny pea size pebbles and then ground to powder by hand. This powder was spread on a slightly inclined stone table and water was poured over it to wash away the dust and dirt from the earth. Since the gold pieces were heavier, they would stay on the table where they were collected, dried and melted in a closed crucible with some other materials for about 5 days. At the end of the 5 days, the gold came out pure.

 

On Christmas Eve, brass wires stretched across our worship center from stage to balcony to lead us into a magnificent, holy night of worship. Surely that brass must have gone through a refining process at one time because still, after having been taken down, they shine brilliantly in the dimmest light.

 

Imagine God, the God of the universe, refining us...wanting to refine us...washing away all of our junk…our impatience, our reliance on things of this world…on the things that have a grip on us. If we surrender to His refining process, the imperfect, frustrating moments of life will, along with our imperfect reactions will fade away as His pure brilliance shines through us. Then, we too, can shine brilliantly in the dimmest light…even in the darkness.

Simple Celebration

New Year's Eve has always been a big deal at our house. Firework displays that could easily compete with large events and a full flow of food and friends. Last night was different than ever before. It was not the large party of years past where friends and family gathered for what could be best described as "eat, drink and be merry."

Last night was simple, filled with the wide-eyed innocence of a child. Callie, our 2 year old granddaughter, spent her very first night with us. Dinner was a great home-cooked  meal, replaced by a lunchable of turkey and cheese. Festive fireworks were replaced by confetti poppers, the little blow horns and sparklers.

What we had once viewed as commonplace, was now a night of wonder. The sheer intensity of concentration as Callie, after several failed attempts, triumphantly learned how to focus all of her breath into the cardboard tube to be able to make the fringed paper blow horn fill with air and curl out in celebration of the coming of a new year. Shouts and jumping with laughter became infectious as we pulled the strings of the confetti poppers.

Nothing could top the showers of spraying sparks as Callie bravely accepted the shooting sparklers. With sheer delight and wonder-filled focus on the fiery brilliance, Callie went from making circles to bringing it so close to her face that she could see nothing else.

Intense moments of wonder through the eyes of a child brought inexpressible joy to our simple celebration.

So, here we are on the first day of a new year. If you're like me, you have already looked at the new calendar and penciled in special dates, birthdays, weddings and other events. Today may have been quiet for you, filled with reflections on 2013 and great expectations for 2014 or it may have been a day of fun and frenzy with friends and family. Either way, I hope in the days to come you will enjoy spending time with God and His Word where you can experience His gifts and those moments of awe-filled wonder and inexpressible joy.

"The whole earth is filled with awe at your wonders; where morning dawns, where evening fades, you call forth songs of joy." -Psalms 65:8 (NIV)