Blessed Are The Pure In Heart

BLESSED ARE THE PURE IN HEART

a prayer to open

Give me eyes to see, Lord—

to see your Kingdom, your heart, your love. Give me eyes to see.

On several occasions, Jesus confronted the Pharisees and teachers of the law about the true states of their hearts. He once said to them, “On the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness” (Matthew 23:28, NIV; see also verses 25-27). Don’t we know this phenomenon all too well? We present ourselves one way to the world, but something else entirely is going on within us. We are proud to take the moral high ground, but all the while our hearts are filled with anger, greed, self-indulgence, envy, or lust. A pure heart is fully surrendered for God to carry out his transformation. The secret sins of the heart are not hidden and covered over but confessed and presented to God for healing and restoration. A purehearted person knows they have no reason to be self-righteous and to consider themselves morally superior, to be impressed by their own goodness. The pure in heart will see God.

• Where do you see inconsistencies between what you present to the world and what is actually going on in your heart?
• Spend a minute in silent reflection, asking God to examine your heart and illuminate any impurities deep within. As words and ideas come to mind, remember that you are in God’s loving presence, and confess and present those things to him. Ask him for healing and restoration in the areas he showed you.
• Read James 3:13-18. Write two columns that compare earthly wisdom with the wisdom that comes from heaven. Prayerfully consider why Jesus would say that the pure in heart will see God. What next step might the Holy Spirit be inviting you to take?

Father, make my heart pure. Help me surrender fully and completely to you. Relieve me of any notion that I am morally superior or better than anyone else. Instead, give me a heart that can learn from others, loves with humility and compassion, and sees people through your eyes. When I think too highly of myself, bring me back to reality. Be merciful and gentle. Transform me so that my heart reflects the heart of Jesus. May your Kingdom come in and through me. Amen.