Main Verse: Psalms 119:17-40

Good morning

            A crucible is a melting pot made of ceramic, clay, and/or graphite used to melt precious metals such as gold and silver. Crucibles have been used throughout history to make weapons for war, rings, shoes for horses, and overlaying items with gold and silver such as items for the temple. In the intervening years between Moses and the post exilic years, the leaders would renew the covenant with the populace, and the people signaled their approval by saying, “Amen and so be it.” Unfortunately, there were three distinct groups, those who were passionately committed, those who believed for a short-time, and those who agreed but never put the law to practice in their lives (Matthew 13:3-9). King David was the exception when it came to serving the Lord God and it showed in how he dealt with the Bathsheba incident and the unauthorized census (Psalm 51: 4-12). The reason David was a great King and, in the words of the Lord “I will make your name great like the greatest humans on earth” (2 Samuel 7:9B) which does not happen because the Lord has deemed it so, it happened because David’s heart was white-hot for the Lord and so the impurities were burned off leaving only pure metals to build weapons to fight the enemy of his soul (Proverbs 25:4-5).

Paul, in his summation to the Church at Ephesus, talked about the weapons of our warfare and how important they were to survive the trials in life and the pressure from the enemy of our soul (Ephesians 6:17-20). We think that by memorizing a key scripture, sing Christian songs, and saying, “Praise the Lord” we are offering a pleasing sacrifice to the Lord; unfortunately, they cost us nothing. When we take our walk with the Lord seriously by first committing to the Lord’s covenant and then using the crucible called, “trouble” to  work in our lives, the weapons of our warfare become more resilient to pressure which will cost us dearly in the form of lost friendships and an unwillingness to displease the Lord (2 Samuel 24:21-25). I encourage you today to allow the troubles in your life to develop your weapons so you will be prepared for the bigger troubles to come.

I.H.S

MK

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