That the trial of you faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire (1 Peter 1.7)
So He laid our gold in the burning fire,
Though we fain would say Him, "Nay",
And watched the dross that we had not seen
As it melted and passed away.
And the gold grew brighter, yet more bright,
But our eyes were dim with tears;
We saw but the fire, not the Master’s hand,
And questioned with anxious fears.
Yet our gold shone out with a richer glow
As it mirrored a form above
That bent o’er the fire, though unseen by us,
With a look of ineffable love.
Can we think that it pleases His loving heart
To cause us a moment’s pain?
Ah no! But He sees through the present cross
The bliss of eternal gain.
So He waited there with a watchful eye,
With a love that is strong and sure,
And His gold did not suffer a bit more heat
Than was needed to make it pure.
- Anon
