4TH WEEK OF ADVENT

He will sit refining and purifying silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi. 

Here we are, at the end of Advent, reading from the last book of the Old Testament, about to step into the New Testament. At this critical moment, the prophet Malachi uses the image of a silversmith to describe how God wants to purify his priests (“the sons of Levi”) so they could “offer due sacrifice to the Lord” (3:3). And here we are, just two days before Christmas, and God’s desire for us is the same. He wants to purify us so that we are ready to receive Jesus in a deeper way this Christmas.

Do you know how silver is refined? A silversmith must place it in a crucible and then hold it in the middle of the fire, where it is the hottest, so that impurities, the “dross,” can rise to the surface and be burned away. It’s precise, exacting work: the silversmith sits by the fire the entire time, always looking for just the right moment when he should remove the silver from the heat.

Like that silversmith, our heavenly Father wants to hold us carefully and attentively as he refines us. He knows which impurities will rise to the surface this year, and he already has a plan to help us remove them. Maybe it’s envy of a prosperous neighbor who lavishes gifts on his family. Or the impulse to snap in anger when we’re feeling overwhelmed by holiday preparations. Or long-standing resentments that become apparent during family gatherings. Or any number of other “impurities.”

No matter what it is, God longs to clear it away. So trust in his deep love for you. Imagine his joy as he anticipates the freedom, hope, and love that you can experience as the dross of sin is burned off. Just as a silversmith knows what purified silver looks like, God knows what a refined “you” will look like. In these last days before Christmas, give him permission to keep working. Let him bring you closer to that vision day after day.

“Father, I trust you. I open my heart to you and ask you to purify my thoughts and desires. Make me ready to receive Jesus this Christmas.”

Malachi 3:1-4, 23-24
Psalm 25:4-5, 8-10, 14
Luke 1:57-66