Daily Devotional: Day 186
“Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God” (Matthew 5:8, KJV).
Most people, even if they won’t admit it, care a lot about what others think of them: some to a greater degree, others to a lesser degree. It’s about appearance and perception. What we see on the outside is often the basis for how we evaluate people. Nothing is necessarily wrong with that. The only problem is that things are not always as they seem. Here is where the human heart becomes important. It is possible to appear one way on the outside, but have the very opposite in one’s heart. You can, for example, smile on the outside but be mad in your heart (cf. Psalm 62:4).
Jesus challenged the religious leaders of his day to first work on their heart. He once said, “You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean” (Matthew 23:26). He was speaking metaphorically. Jesus noticed, just like today, that some people put on the appearance of being clean and pure, but their heart is full of filth. Jesus’s message was, and is, to first make one’s heart pure; then, the outside will be pure also.
Consequently, Christianity is a religion of heart purity. It concerns itself with transforming lives by first emphasizing a change of heart. When your heart becomes pure, your behavior will respond accordingly. But, if your heart isn’t transformed, your behavior will show the corresponding symptoms of impurity.
God is pure, and he is attracted to those who are pure in heart. In today’s Scripture reading, Jesus says, “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.” If your heart is pure, Jesus says you are blessed; you shall see God. This means, without heart purity, no one can see God or spend eternity with Him. As the Psalmist says, “Who shall ascend the hill of the LORD? And who shall stand in his holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart . . .” (Psalm 24:3-4).
You can be pure of heart in this impure world. This will involve crucifying the ‘flesh’ and its lusts (Gal 5:24). For the sake of your soul, the sacrifice will be worth it. Heart purity is blessedness. Ask Jesus to help you walk with a pure heart – a heart that is free from lies, envy, deception, sexual immorality, addictions, vindictiveness, hate and corruption.
May the Lord let His face shine on you today. In the Name of Jesus. Amen.
For further study: Mark 7:14-23
Higher-Self Realities 