Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Matthew 5:8
Most times, when I sit down to write these, I have an idea what to say. Even with talking through the other Beatitudes, so far, I knew what it was that I wanted to say. Please understand: it’s not me. It’s me putting down on ‘paper’ the words God inspires into me. I believe that’s what we all do when we work devotedly at something about which we are passionate.
Today, I honestly don’t know what to say. See, I don’t count myself as one of the pure in heart. Maybe I swallowed too many Lutheran pills and I simply can’t shake the guilt rattled into me. Maybe it’s because I’m conscious of all the times when I haven’t been pure in heart, or holy, or righteous. Maybe it’s that I don’t feel worthy writing about something I’d be ashamed to tell Jesus I’m not.
You know, maybe that’s the point. Maybe it begins with admitting I’m a broken, sinful man. I’m what Billy Joel called “a man with so much tension, far too many sins to mention.” Perhaps admitting all that means that I’ve poured out my life-bottle at Jesus’ feet and realized I have nothing to bring Him except the sin-soiled rags in which I’ve wrapped my heart. In fact, I know these things are true.
Just like I know it’s true that, in sinful me, He shows me His face of God. Jesus looks at me and has mercy, takes pity, gives me His hand, and lifts me to my feet to walk beside Him. He took away my sin. He took away the guilt. He knows I’m unholy on my own, so He clothes me in His holiness. He makes me worthy by giving me His worth, which, like His peace, surpasses all understanding. Jesus takes my hand every day and takes my impurity away, replacing it with the purity of His own heart so that I can stand in front of God, blameless and forgiven.
He does that for me. He can do it for you, too. He does that for everyone who puts their belief, faith, and knowledge in Him because Jesus is the source of real belief, faith, and true knowledge. When I don’t know what to say, Jesus sends His Father’s Spirit to speak words into me; words that are always just the right thing at the right time. They’re words to share here, with you.
In a time when so many of us seek mercy but don’t always give it, it happens that we don’t always know what to say. It happens to me a lot. Those times become the best ones to go quiet, then let Jesus do the talking.
For more reading: Psalm 17:15, Psalm 24:3-4, Psalm 42:2, Hebrews 12:14, Revelation 22:4, Matthew 5:9
Lord, thank You for speaking to & through me. Thank You for making me pure in heart. Thank You.
Practical Proverbs 