Refined

I have to admit that it frightened me to hear about salmonella in peanut products. But that turned to anger when it was reported that Peanut Corporation of America knew that their product was tainted with the deadly bacteria. Can you imagine how those sickened by the product must feel? And then there was the contaminated baby formula from China, where six babies died and over 1200 were sickened, and now thousands face atypically formed kidney stones.

Purity is important to our health. I never thought much about drinking from the stream when I was a child, but now I know what might be upstream. Pure clean water is essential to health and intellect.

Satan is the salmonella of our thoughts. He deceives, then he accuses. He is the impurity of our spiritual diet and the complications he brings when we indulge can be deadly. His deception is subtle - he takes what is good and makes it seem so much better under his terms. He gives every good thing new meaning. For the person desiring spiritual fulfillment, he brings spirituality. For the one needing deeper companionship and passion, he brings the depth of intimacy. For the one For the one seeking truth, he brings a truth that fits their size. But his spirituality is not a relationship with the Father, but a distraction from Him. His intimacy - his passion - is often based on sensuality, other times deception, sometimes substitution: satisfying for a moment, but self-imploding in the long-term. His truth resolves the crisis, but spins out more problems; more deception.

No wonder scripture sometimes describes our experiences in this life as refinement. The Spirit of God is working in our lives to rid us of the power and consequences of sin over us. God wants more for us than to merely escape the flames; he wants us to receive a purified life; he wants us to live a transformed life; he wants us to trust with a renewed, refined faith.

Purity is not just about eating and drinking: it is keeping ourselves for God’s service. Purity is another way of saying holy living. We are God’s holy people his pure refreshment. Let us feast on a pure life – a buffet of choices that glorify God in holiness.