Matthew 5:8, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”
This Beatitude always causes me to pause and be amazed at its promise. Those who have a pure heart will see God. Of all the Beatitudes, none of them cause my heart to stir like this one. From our earliest years of learning about God, to our numerous years in the Christian faith, nothing has been more mysterious or exciting as the thought of seeing God. There are so many stories of seeing God, such as Moses being hidden in the cleft of the rock and being allowed to see the train of God’s robe, and of Isaiah standing in the temple of the Lord, and the disciples at the Transfiguration, and last, but not least, the book of Revelation. All of these stories stir up this desire to see God.
What is so beautiful about Matthew 5:8 is the entire Gospel message. Only the pure in heart will see God, but who among us has a pure heart?
The answer is: None. Not one person has a pure heart. The psalmist and the Apostle Paul remind us that none are good, not even one. Our hearts have been stained and dirtied by sin and pride. If we stopped here, we would feel disheartened and hopeless. But thanks be to God, that is not where the Bible stops! We read of a Savior who laid down His life to save us from our sins. Through His atoning death, every guilty stain of sin has been washed clean. With Easter coming, this is the time of year we reflect on the beautiful gift of salvation that God gives to us. As you think on the cross and the empty tomb this week, I want you to remember and rejoice at the sweet promise of God from Matthew 5:8
Only the pure in heart will be blessed to see God. Who are the ones who are pure in heart? Thanks to Jesus Christ, all who believe in Him have hearts that are made pure. Thanks to Jesus, if you have faith in Him, you will be blessed to see God.
