Blessed Are the Pure in Heart

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Blessed Are the Pure in Heart

There are things in life  that make us happy — make us fortunate,  and well off,  in comparison  to the rest of the world.     These things  in our lives  make us  “blessed”  in ways the world cannot understand.     We might be facing adversity,  but in the midst of it,  we are “blessed”,  happy,  and fortunate.

In Matthew 5,  we read Jesus’  sermon on the mount.     In Matthew 5:8  Jesus says,

Blessed are the pure  in heart,  for they shall see God.

The  “pure in heart”  are  “blessed”.     They are the ones who are happy — and who realize  they are fortunate and well off  in this world.     The  “pure in heart”  are the ones  who have an inner happiness,  in spite of their troubles  in this world.     For the apostles and early Christians,  those troubles included beatings,  imprisonment,  and a cruel death.     But yet,  they had a blessedness,  a happiness that rejoiced  in being  actually fortunate,  in spite of outward circumstances.

Who are these  “pure in heart”,  who rejoice  in their poverty and sufferings?     In checking out the Greek backgrounds to these words,  these are the ones  who  are free  from corrupt desires  and falseness  of any sort.     They sincerely believe  in the love of God  and the efficacy  of Jesus’  suffering and death  to wash away all  of our sins.     They do not doubt God,  but trust Him  because He has proven His love.    They know  heaven is their home,  based on God’s eternal word.

The  “pure in heart”  genuinely know  that whatever trials God allows them  to go through,  God is right beside them,  guiding and caring  for them.     Peter was  “pure in heart”  as they crucified him  for preaching the gospel.     He so trusted  that God was near  that he requested  that he be crucified upside down,  so that his death  wouldn’t be just like Jesus’ death.     Peter was  “blessed”  because he genuinely saw and trusted  in God’s love  for him.     Peter was sure he would soon be  in his heavenly home,  face to face  with God Almighty,  his Savior.

If we want  to see God  for who He is  and who He can be  in our lives,  we need to draw near  to Him  in His word,  as Peter did.     There  He will open our eyes  to His truths  about His love  and salvation  in Jesus Christ.     There  we will have our sins revealed   and the utter grossness  of our lost condition — but,  there we will also receive  the hope  of salvation,  because we will see  that God keeps  all of His words  of love  to each of us.

We will be blessed and happy  as we see God  in His word now  and then,  in all eternity  face-to-face.     Let God create within us  clean hearts  and right spirits,  that we might truly abide  in Him  and let Him abide  in us.

Then,  in joy  we say,  “Hallelujah!     Lord,  all Your ways are so right  and good  and beautiful.     Open my eyes and ears and heart and mind  as I study Your word  and come to know Your truths  for me.”

Love,
Margaret

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A Christian devotional to glorify the LORD of lords and God of gods

 

Pray for our country.

 

This is the day which the LORD has made;
Let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Psalm 118:24

 

The word of the LORD is tried;
He is a shield  to all  who take refuge  in Him.
Psalm 18:30

 

Sing for joy in the LORD,  O you righteous ones;
Praise is becoming  to the upright.
Psalm 33:1

 

How blessed are those  who dwell in Thy house!
They are ever praising Thee.
Psalm 84:4

 

Just as a father has compassion  on his children,
So the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him.
Psalm 103:13

 

Oh give thanks to the LORD,  for He is good;
For His lovingkindness is everlasting.
Psalm 107:1

 

Glory in His holy name;
Let the heart of those who seek the LORD be glad.
Psalm 105:3

 

Not that I have already obtained it, or have already become perfect, but I press on in order that
I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:12

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