Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. (Matthew 5:8, NKJV).
Heavenly Father, how we long to have a heart that is pure and holy that You may sit upon the throne of our hearts and lead us “in paths of righteousness for Your name sake.” In the precious name of Jesus Christ we humbly pray. Amen.
We have now arrived at the sixth link in our study of the Happiness Code. Those who find happiness here are the pure in heart. These are very special individuals because a pure heart is not a natural trait in human beings. The prophet Jeremiah in describing the human heart had this to say:
” ‘ “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; Who can know it . . . (17:9)? And proof that what God has said about the heart is nothing but the truth, the Lord declares: “I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings” (10). A safe practice is to constantly take an inventory of our hearts. Evil has a way of building up within us if we are not careful. This is what God had to say about Israel’s condition:
“The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron, and with the point of a diamond: it is graven upon the table of their heart, and upon the horns of your altars . . .” (1). The sinful state of the heart does not happen all of a sudden. It is a day to day job, a work of engraving; and that is not accomplished overnight, it is gradual until one day – the fearful work is done! Even more frightening is the fact that it affects even our spiritual life! The sin goes with us into the house of God, upon the horns of the altar. It contaminates the very worship we offer God!
God does not imagine what is in the heart of human beings – He knows what is in our hearts! He searches them and tests our minds, that when He passes judgment, no one will be able to refute the final decision nor appeal the verdict! And yet He desires nothing more than to acquit us from all wrong by placing HIs righteousness at our disposal! Oh, the matchless love of God!
We live in a world where people are usually accepted or rejected by their outward appearance. But nothing could be more deceiving. When God wanted to select a king to rule over Israel in place of Saul, Israel’s first king, He sent His prophet Samuel to the home of Jesse to anoint one of Jesse’s sons. Obviously, Samuel was very impressed with Jesse’s eldest son, most likely because of his appearance. But God was not. Therefore God said to the prophet: “Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7).
As human beings most of us are controlled by our senses – what we see, hear, feel, smell, taste. My caveat to you dear reader: “Our senses have been tampered with by the Adversary. They cannot be trusted to guide our decisions; so do not let them control you; by God’s grace, you control them!” Better still, submit them to God. Let Him control them!
God was looking for a man after His own heart, while the prophet was looking for an attractive king to rule over God’s people. Nothing is wrong with outward beauty when it is a reflection of the inward condition – a pure heart! God’s Word declares, they shall see God. Happy are they!