BE GOD'S JEWEL

Recently I read in an early morning devotion the following quote taken from an anonymous source:  "From dark clouds we get precious water.....from dark mines we get valuable jewels....and from our darkest trials come our best blessings from GOD." It is interesting how the sun does shine behind those dark clouds. From those dark mines we get those beautiful jewels polished to perfection and cut perfectly, so that they shine and reflect brilliant light.  Found in the dark and muck they aren't attractive at first. We seem to be somewhat stronger on the other side of a tough trial.....aren't we? We don't enjoy going through it, but the result is always better with a blessing tucked somewhere inside.

GOD continuously scans the earth searching for HIS chosen jewels.  Some are brilliant, some need polishing, and others aren't even cut yet.  Psalm 66:10 says that GOD refines us......this refining process goes on day after day, year after year, no matter what our circumstances and many times without us noticing.

But I love how Zechariah 9: 16-17 words the result of this refining: "The LORD their GOD will save them on that day as the flock of HIS people.  They will sparkle in HIS land like jewels in a crown.  How attractive and beautiful they will be!"

The scripture above can give us incredible hope!  Hope for those days when you really sin and mess up.  Hope for those days when you feel you have lost your way. Hope for those times when tragedy strikes.  Keeping the hope in all of life's circumstances is why CHRIST came and why HE died on the cross for us.  And so.....

GOD will continue to refine and mold us.  This is something above everything that we can count on and our heart's should strive for.  HE will polish and shape and cut us into HIS brilliant jewels.  As my sweet friend Mary would say, notice the "will"..... not maybe..... or if.... but WILL. HE WILL REFINE US..... TO BE HIS JEWELS.  Because of CHRIST'S crown, we WILL spend eternity with HIM.

So shine on jewels of the LORD!  Shine on!  HE is helping as sparkle as we each step by step, walk the path of this life.

ISAIAH 61: 10 "For HE has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels."