Blessed are...

Purity of Purpose

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” Matthew 5:8

Pure water is clear, it has no imperfections, it is not tainted. For metal to be pure it must not be mixed with another, it must be without alloy. Grain, in its pure state, has been threshed and winnowed. The husks have been removed. All that remains is the single grain. Nothing spoils it. It is pure.

For our hearts to be pure, they must not be mixed or tainted. A pure heart is one that is single-minded in its purpose, in its devotion to Christ. It must be free from every trace of evil, every thought of self. That’s why it is impossible for us to give ourselves partially to Jesus. You cannot give part of your heart, it’s all or nothing. Either Jesus is Lord of every single aspect of your life, or He is not. There is no half-way house. Christ demands it all.

James emphasizes the same idea when he writes, “Purify your hearts, you double-minded.”[1] He means that you must give all of your attention to Christ. Your focus, and the focus of your life, must be centered on Jesus Christ. There is no room for another savior. You cannot afford to be double-minded. With unmixed emotion and a will that is steady and assured, you must seek radical inner purity, without which you can never see God.

Once again, this can seem like an impossible demand. Who can be this pure, this single-minded? Surely, Jesus does not ask us to do the impossible? No, but He does ask us to trust Him, for in His strength all things are possible.



Father,
Laying aside all other things, the evil that distracts,
and the good that cannot substitute for what is best, I come to You now.
I admit my inadequacy. I want to be honest about my failure, and my doubt.
But I pray, Lord, that, by Your Holy Spirit,
You will work in me that which I cannot do for myself.
Make me pure within, Lord, for I long to see You face to face.
Through Christ my Lord.
Amen.




[1] James 4:8