By David ReayMonday 20 Jul 2020LifeWords DevotionalsDevotionsReading Time: 2 minutes
Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God. (NIV)
It is sometimes said that an atheist doesn’t find God for the same reason a criminal doesn’t find a policeman: he isn’t looking for him. Jesus is saying here that we discern the activity and character of God if we are single minded about pursuing him. If we are preoccupied with all sorts of things other than God, then chances are our vision will be blurred. He will be at work, but we won’t see him at work.
Purity of heart is to do with this wholehearted devotion to the cause of Jesus. It is not simply about sexual purity. We may not sense the presence or power of God because our hearts and minds are cluttered up with so many things that crowd him out.
It is not that we have to get all super spiritual, it is just that we are invited to see all of life through the lens of faith. We keep Jesus at the centre so that all else we do and say and think leads to clear spiritual vision.
The Bible suggests that those who genuinely and wholeheartedly seek God will find him. Implication being that if we are a bit lethargic about our pursuit of God we will not find him even though he is actually right there with us. In chasing after all sorts of other things that may give us satisfaction, we risk missing the satisfaction only he can give.
Only as we trust that the pleasures of God are greater and deeper than the pleasures of sin will we find this God and the pleasures he brings.
Blessings
David