As ‘diamond’ means invincible or unconquerable, so Christians should be invincible and unconquerable by sin and unrighteousness. Ralph Gaunt

Refined By The Lord

Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my anxieties; and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
Psalm 139:23-24

The most expensive gem ever purchased at auction is a 25 carat pink, emerald-cut diamond bought by a London jewellery dealer for 46 million dollars. The intensive and continuous process of cutting and polishing a diamond is the secret behind the sparkle that adds value to its beauty.

Just as the cutting and polishing process affects the brilliance and sparkle of a diamond, so a Christian’s character is moulded and refined by the tests and trials that God places throughout his walk. It is through these trials that the foundation and strength of our faith is tested. It may be painful when we go through situations of grinding and polishing, but if our faith remains strong and we learn the valuable lessons that the Lord wishes to teach us, we will stand before the Lord as a purer vessel, reflecting His glory on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed.

In the above verse, David was asking God to search and try his innermost heart. He wanted to surrender his will to God, to be placed in the fiery furnace so that his heart could be tested and the impurities burnt away. David wanted his heart to be soft, workable and pure before God and knew that the Holy Lord was the only One who could purge his heart of any hidden sin, offense or unrighteousness.

Today, this should also be our prayer. May the God of all goodness search our hearts and grind away the rough edges of our character so that we will sparkle with the beauty and goodness of His nature in every facet of our life.

Dear Lord,
I come to You in Jesus’ name. Please search my heart today and reveal to me any hidden areas of sin and unrighteousness. Take away my selfish and stubborn ambition and refine me to become more like You. Help me to live in complete dependence of Your Spirit. Amen.

God bless you,
Theo and Manju