BLESSED ARE THE PURE IN HEART FOR THEY SHALL SEE GOD

By Barry Shaw

In His Sermon on the Mount, the Lord Jesus Christ said, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” Matthew 5:8 The Psalmist wrote: “Who may ascend the hill of the Lord? Who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart...” Psalm 24:3,4 God teaches that we should live a clean life with a pure heart. Purity of heart speaks of perfection, of clarity, of ultimate refinement. Christ set the standard: “Be perfect...as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Matthew 5:48

Charles Stanley defines “heart” as it is used in the spiritual sense as “your innermost being where motivation and desire reside...If your heart is right, your character is right...Jesus modeled a consistent character...His character validated His mission and ministry. The key to Christ’s character was purity of heart.” (The Glorious Journey)

But, as J. Vernon McGee wrote: “ No man can say his heart is pure. How can the heart of man, which is desperately wicked, be made clean?” How can we who are not without sin be pure in heart? A pure heart sounds like an impossibility. Pastor McGee addressed this issue: “...in our walk down here we get dirty and need the Word of God to cleanse us continually. That is one reason to study the Bible - to be cleansed.” The dross of yesterday’s living sometimes hangs over us like the morning after. Yet in spite of this, every morning we awake to a new day, a new opportunity to live life, to work, to create, to do that which is right and good, but most of all to love with a pure heart. It is the perfect time “to be made new in the attitude of your minds and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” Ephesians 4:23,24

“How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it according to Your word.” Psalm 119:9 The Lord Jesus Christ said: “You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.” John 15:3 Jesus practiced what He preached: “Very early in the morning while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where He prayed.” Mark 1:35

I find that early morning is a wonderful time to spend in the Bible, to pray to the Lord and study His Word. It quiets me down and prepares me for a day of interaction with the world. It almost always shows me something about myself that can be improved, changed, or hopefully made purer.

Perhaps I shall not achieve absolute purity of heart while on this earth, but what I do know is that I shall ask the Lord for it every morning: “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit in me.” Psalm 51:10

Barry Shaw writes from Applegate Valley, Oregon.