Our scripture this morning is Matthew 5:1-12 (NKJV).
And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him. Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, For they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
“Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God”, what a wonderful promise! However, we know that no matter how hard we try, we can’t be pure without God’s help. God understands our issues, and when we come in repentance, professing our faith in Jesus Christ, we can be washed clean.
In Psalms 18:26 we read “to the pure you show yourself pure, but to the devious you show yourself shrewd”, teaching that God will reveal Himself to those who strive to live according to His commandments. Those who are not in relationship will see Him much differently. God wants us to come to Him for forgiveness and will show mercy to those who seek Him.
Becoming “the pure in heart” is not easy. Jesus showed us what a life fully connected to God is like and called us to follow Him. When we falter on the path, He will steady us if we only admit our missteps and ask His help. God waits patiently for our return to Him, ready to cover our sins and cover us with His love.
Heavenly Father, we want to be pure and live in harmony with You and each other. Bless us to share the joy we know in You with everyone. Amen.
