THE WORD FOR TODAY - YOU ARE STILL GOD'S CHOICE

"Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tried and chosen you in the furnace of affliction".
-Isaiah 48:10 (AMP)

At times you experience situations in life that attempt to ‘lie to you that God doesn’t love you or that He has rejected you, God did not save Daniel FROM the lion’s den, but He indeed saved him inside the lion’s den, likewise Shadarck, Meschack and Abednego, God did not prevent them from being thrown into the fiery furnace, but HE indeed saved them in the fiery furnace. Often times in the midst of fiery trials and tribulations, we wonder 'why me', why is all these happening to me, but I love God, I'm serving Him, I've chosen Him above every other'... like the three Hebrew guys, who forsook idol worshipping and stood for God, yet they still found themselves in the fire. God is telling us today in our text that it's because we are 'chosen', we have been chosen by Him and the fire is only meant to refine us. Just as the worth of gold is not appreciated until it goes through the fire, so also, we will not be able to function to the best of our ability in God until we have gone through the fire. He is refining us; He is trying us in the furnace of affliction because He has chosen us and HE knows that He can trust us enough to allow us to go through, He knows we have the stamina and strength to stand. Most of the time we cry unto God and ask Him to deliver us from certain predicaments, but God wants to fix us in the fire, He wants to prepare us as a sanctuary, tried and holy and fit for the master's use. He is telling us today like He told Apostle Paul, after He prayed to God on three occasions to take the thorn away from his flesh, 'But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.' 2 Cor 12:9.
Even Jesus Christ went through hardship (the cross) in order to glorify God and save mankind, He had a God-ordained purpose, but He still had to go through stuff. Let's release ourselves unto God to melt us, mould us, make us, fix us and use us for His glory, His grace is sufficient for us, and after it's all over, we will come out purified as pure gold.
Have a beautiful weekend!

Confession

I release myself to You dear Lord, complete Your work of refining in me, I know your grace is sufficient for me, and at the end I will come out as pure gold ready for the Master's use. Halleluyah!

SOURCE: Jola and Dexter Akin-Alamu