Today as Bro. Wright talked I kept getting this picture of a
bunch of little lumps of dirt being processed into diamonds. I know we all know this analogy; but I couldn’t
get the thought out of my head. One
statement he made today was that most of us aren’t out drinking, smoking, etc…but
the process we are in now is the Lord working on our spirit. AMEN!!!!
It’s that fine tuning process.
That one that gets you to ask the question…why do I do the things I do.
I kept thinking how that a diamond can be dug out of the
earth and them just be placed on a table…yes uncut diamonds are worth
something, and it’s wonderful to be cut out of the earth; but that is where
some people stop. Until the diamond is
shaped and cut it cannot be used. A
diamond when finished will reflect the precision and talents of the
cutter.
Now there are more than one use for a diamond; but I am
thinking of the ones that are placed inside a piece of jewelry. I came home and began to look up the process
of diamond mining. Here is what I found…
·
The
formation of natural diamond requires very specific conditions—exposure of
carbon-bearing materials to high pressure.
(In
order for a diamond to even begin to form in the ground it is already exposed to
heat and pressure. Those little bitty
trials we go through to cause something to begin to grow there.)
·
The ground where the raw material lies is dug
up and sent for processing. (The Lord uncovers us and begins to separate
us from the world. Even if we were born
and raised in the body…we must first be separated from the world.)
·
There are several
steps that the raw mined material must endure before it is cut and polished for
display. The first step of processing is to haul the diamondiferous material
to the modular processing plant. (We are hauled to the processing plant…the
church that the Lord leads you to. We
must be in the processing plant in order to be processed. Otherwise we will never be transformed from
dirt to useable material.)
·
The conglomerate is
put into a large crushing machine and smashed until the crystals are
released. This must be done carefully so as to not harm the precious gems. Milling the material is more suitable
for some deposits. Milling is a process where the diamondiferous material is
placed in huge rotating drums that contain water. The material slowly disintegrates
leaving only raw diamonds. (The
Lord begins to break us down until all that is left is the diamond. He encourages us…woos us and sometimes must
crush us till finally we begin to say yes Lord…)
·
Washing is the next
step for removing yet finer diamonds from the abundance of mined diamond ore.
The process is best used with another popular separation technique known as
screening. Screening is best known from the gold rush days. A screen of known
size is places beneath the material as it is tumbled allowing only a certain diameter
of particles to pass through.
(Those finer specimens…the ones who have submitted to allow the Lord to
begin forming and shaping them are the only ones that remain after this process. Those that finally are ready to allow the
Lord to begin to shape them into the gems they are to become.)
·
Finishing touches: Once extracted, the diamond must be polished
then can undergo a multitude of cuts. Sawing and cleaving the gems is used
during the polishing phase. The modern diamond cutter is focused on creating
the best, most flawless diamond in the industry to get maximum economic profits.
The cutter must first analyze each diamond, by hand, to observe any inclusions.
By doing this, the best possible section of the diamond can be utilized when
setting in a piece of jewelry. (Each
of us have a specific plan the Lord develops us to shape us into his will. EACH diamond is analyzed and a plan is formed…the
cutter knows just what it will take to cause that diamond to give off the most
light.)
·
Mined
rough diamonds are converted into gems through a multi-step process called
"cutting". Diamonds are extremely hard, but also brittle and can be
split up by a single blow. Therefore, diamond cutting is traditionally
considered as a delicate procedure requiring skills, scientific knowledge,
tools and experience. (Simply
put…the cutter knows what He is doing!!)
·
After
initial cutting, the diamond is shaped in numerous stages of polishing.
Unlike cutting, which is a responsible but quick operation, polishing removes
material by gradual erosion and is extremely time consuming. (Little by little, day by day. Little by little in every way. Jesus is changing me.)
·
When exposed, diamonds
exhibit luminescence which can also vary in intensity. (This is a completed diamond…one
that when the Lord pulls the curtain back on it will shine and reflect the
glory of the Lord. He’s looking for
diamonds that when placed under a microscope will be proven flawless.)
After the message today I cried
and thought all the way home for lunch.
They were hard things to hear…it was hard to see myself in the things he
was talking about. I did a lot of
thinking. As I got to church that night
and we stood to worship the Lord I began to think…
“Lord, this is going to be really
hard. I’m not sure if I can do
this. But, Lord, we’ve been through some
hard places before; not once have you left me alone. This door way we are walking through may be a
little bit more narrow than the one we just went through; but I know that you’re
going through it with me…and if I will just say yes Lord…I’ll go, that you will
help me drop off a little of that weight so I can fit through just fine.”
You see I know that the fine
tuning the Lord is giving me is hard…sometimes I feel like jumping off that
table and saying nope…I am DONE; but I told the Lord a longtime ago that I
wanted to make the Bride. When asked the
question…what is your greatest fear...honestly it is disappointing the Lord and
failing to accept the treasure He is offering; but instead of looking at myself…at
all my weaknesses if I can just look at Him.
I’m still here…the Lord has not gotten rid of me yet…that must mean that
he still has a plan for me.
Sis. Leah Miller said this morning
she was gonna stop listening to the devil telling her that it was already to
late…that she had missed her chance and get busy instead. I agree. I’ve listened to him…my own
discouragement whatever you want to call it long enough. The devil doesn’t get to decide if I make the
Bride…God does and GOD is on MY side!!!!!
Lord let me let go of my will…my
wants to make the Bride on my own terms and finally do it on His.
References I used about diamond processing:
