One Small Seed Newsletter – Edition #245, August 2021
Greetings:
I hope you are having a blessed day and that the peace of God brings to your spirit, soul, and mind a place that passes all understanding. This is why He gave us the Great Comforter, so we also can be comforted as well as be encouraged as the we walk through this life of many tribulations. We are not alone, the comforter is as real as the air we breathe and as life giving as the oxygen that is in the air. We can’t see these things with our natural eyes, but with our brain we know they are there. We are not alone, because tribulations are common to every person, whether it is the spirit, soul, mind or body. Tribulations aren’t meant to be bad, even though they seemed to be bad. Tribulations should bring people together, create compassion and definitely develop patience. There are other words that describe the evils that are attributed to the word tribulation.
Tribulations are like a smelter’s pot that is used to melt down materials to rid them of worthless things and enhance the value of things of worth. We could use gold for an example. Then again it is also like cutting diamonds or plowing and discing a field to prepare it for planting. Notice how the Apostle Paul describes tribulation in Romans 5:3-5: “But we glory in tribulation also: knowing that tribulations worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience hope; and hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit which is given unto us”.
We measure out time by the days we live and not by someone else’s time. Our affections and emotions are governed by what we allow to affect us and our reactions reveal who we are and how we feel about those affections. It doesn’t always change history, but it most likely will alter our day. Who can judge another when they themselves are walking a different path, live in a different environment and see life from a different viewpoint. I’ve always said it’s the things we can’t see that surprises us the most, creates the greatest problems and disturbs our mind to the highest degree. Of course, for some people, those things bring the greatest blessings: like the sayings, ignorance is bliss, out of sight- out of mind and I’d rather not know about it. But the things we can’t see are always there to affect us with good things and bad things.
“The Smelter’s Pot”
To the Smelter it came, all looking the same,
Tarnished and covered with earth.
The soil couldn’t hide the treasures inside
The fire would bring out it’s worth.
As each lump came by the smelter’s wise eye
It headed for truth and fire
The he realized as he scrutinized
“Perfection” was his desire.
The embers grew hot beneath that old pot
The ore was beginning to melt
The smelter looked in, beginning to grin
It wouldn’t be long he felt.
Each atom was proud to be in the crowd
With grit enduring the heat
Now ready to stand to very last man
They never looked for defeat.
To some in that pot it soon got too hot
They couldn’t hide their disguise
It’s easy to tell they started to swell
And slowly began to rise.
Something’s will not stop ‘til they’re at the top
And this was so plain to see
There’s very big loss to be in the dross
And lost for eternity.
The master’s mere touch is never too much
To make the smelting complete.
To show his affection concerning perfection
He slowly turned up the heat.
The smelter was sure his treasure was pure
Under the layer of dross
You could see him stand His ladle in hand
Ready to skim off the loss.
He never would stop ‘til having last drop
Of things so grossly impure
So he waited long, ‘til dross was all gone
And longer just to be sure.
If silver or gold or stones to behold
It’s not things that we desire
The lowliest treasure brings Master much pleasure
If it is proven by fire.
So when we can’t wait the chance to be great
Think of the smelter’s loss
We’re better alone- forever unknown
Than to be buried in dross.
Rodney Roberts