August 18 – The Pure in Heart (Psalm 51)

“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.”(Psalm 51:10)

IN WORD:
Jesus calls the pure in heart “blessed.” It is an elusive purity for us. We have a hard time maintaining inoffensive thoughts for long periods of time. We are tainted with misplaced motives and petty agendas. If we’re really honest with ourselves and our God, we know the truth: Our corruption runs deep.
Jesus knows the impossibility of a pure heart, and he offers to fill us with His purity. We have the Holy Spirit dwelling in us, with an emphasis on the holy. Even so, our purity fluctuates as widely as does the vibrancy of our relationship with Him. What can we tell ourselves to avoid discouragement?
We must remember the essence of biblical purity. It is single-minded devotion to God. It does not imply that we will always have perfectly sinless thoughts. It means that the direction of our lives will be solidly, irrevocably invested in Him. When arguments between self and sacrifice resound in our hearts, the godly impulse will eventually win the argument. Perhaps we may fail many times. Regardless, our desire for godliness must remain steadfast. The “steadfast spirit” must constantly be renewed.

IN DEED:
God knows the frailties of our character. The human heart is a fickle thing; it caves in to the voices of this world and the compulsions of our flesh. But it is redeemable, utterly redeemable. “He is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them” (Hebrews 7:25).
Have we forgotten the call of the Holy God? He understands our imperfections, but He calls us above them. The pure in heart — the steadfast, passionate, faithful lovers of the Savior — are a work in progress. But it is a relentless work. Our direction never changes. God will always show more of Himself to those blessed enough to crave purity.

“If there is joy in the world, surely the man of pure heart possesses it.” -Thomas A’ Kempis-