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“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God,” says the Beatitude in Matthew 5:8. We’ve learned that the word pure means clean. And we know that the word heart refers to the entire inner being. But I see a problem, do you?
Proverbs 20:9 puts it this way, “Who can say, ‘I have kept my heart pure; I am clean and without sin’?” (NIV) I know I haven’t kept my heart pure! I bet the same is true for you. Jesus called out the Pharisees because they thought they were good, moral people. He called them “white-washed tombs.”
So what are we to do? How can we be blessed if our hearts are not pure? James 4:7-8 tells us, “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” (NIV)
James is telling us to change our direction. He uses the idea of washing, not as a ritual, but as our appeal to God for forgiveness. God is the one who can forgive and cleanse our conscience. Having a pure heart is totally dependent on God. We must have the attitude of David in Psalm 51:10. He said, “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” (NIV) That is the path to blessing!
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Bumper music “Landing Place” performed by Mark July, used under license from Shutterstock.