Trials are more precious than gold.

Though now for a season, if need be ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations that the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 1:6&7)  

There is much heaviness and many temptations in this life that try our faith. Peter says here that such trials are much more precious than gold. We desire gold and our currency is base on its worth. but it perishes and is in the end unable to save us. When we are tried by fire it is by trials and hardships and we like gold are thus refined and become pure. We are then found praising, honoring and in glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.

My Irish grandfather (on my mother’s side) had a tendency to go off on tangents either about politics or religion. In case his ranting had something to do with religion it was often about when Christ returns and who would be taken and who would be left. My dad being the kind gentle even knelled person he was never got caught up in the fever of the tirade. “Well,” he would say, “I don’t think it makes any difference when Christ appears because the world ends everyday for someone. It will end someday for each of us. Most likely it will end for us before that day and hour when Christ returns. If we aren’t ready for him now we most likely won’t be ready then... unless we change.”  

Have I ever said how much I love and admired my daddy? He was such a wise man. We all slip from time to time, but instead of spending our days in fear of that day when Christ returns, repent and draw near to him. Call upon him daily, talk with him; tell him your concerns and troubles. Get to know him so that on that day when we are called home we won’t be a stranger, but will be welcomed into his arms as a friend.