Thought of the Day September 4, 2019 Pure of heart
Matthew
5:8 "Blessed are the pure of heart, for they will see God,"
Another
translation has “Blessed are the single-hearted.” Which means
“to be without admixture, to be simply one thing.”
Of all the Beatitudes this is the only
one that enables us to see God.
Are the words of the psalmist our
sincere prayer: “Let me seek your face” (Ps 27:8). “Your countenance, Lord,
will I seek” (1 Cor 1:24)?
Jesus was reflecting the psalmist
prayer. “Who will ascend the mountain of the Lord? Those whose hands are
innocent and whose hearts are pure" (Psalm 24:3)
As people of the Old Testament
interpreted this psalm they understood purity in a ritual and cultural way; it
consisted in keeping one's distance from things, animals, persons or places
that were understood to contaminate one and separate one from God's holiness.
Above all, these were things associated with birth, death, food and sexuality.
This was Peter’s struggle in understanding the vision of the various animals he
was told to eat. It wasn’t until he heard the voice telling him “What God has
purified, you shall not call common,” that he understood.
Do you really want to see God? Is that the desire of your heart? Then is your heart pure before him? Are you single-hearted?
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