Verse of the Week: “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” (Matthew 5:8)
Truth of the Week: The pure in heart shall see God – this truth makes me want to guard my heart with all diligence and painstakingly protect it from all impurity. If the pure in heart will see God, then I want to stand sentry over what I allow access into my innermost being.
Part of the problem is that we are generally not a pondering people. We continually make choices without ever stopping to consider the helpfulness or the harmfulness of our decisions. If we want to see God more clearly in our everyday lives, then we must be willing to ask ourselves some hard questions and then answer them honestly – questions like:
Are the television shows that I watch (or the movies that I attend) worthy of my hearts attention? (A better way to phrase this might be – is this something I would enjoy watching with Jesus?)
Do the books that I read promote purity in my heart, stirring up within me a desire to know God more deeply, or are they just mindless ways to numb my heart and escape from the pressures or the monotony of life?
Are the conversations that I engage in throughout the day honest and uplifting, full of grace and truth – or – are they characterized by grumbling, gossip, and pretense?
The goal of guarding our hearts is not to fall into the legalistic approach of creating a list of “do’s and dont’s” that we strive to live by, but rather to help us to be aware of and free from those things that dull, soil or distract our hearts from seeing God more clearly and enjoying Him more fully. Let us determine to not drift aimlessly along, giving little thought to what we allow our hearts to feed upon; instead, by God’s grace, let us intentionally choose those things that will heighten our hunger and enhance our thirst for our all glorious God.
Quote of the Week: “If all other variables are equal, your capacity to know God deeply will probably diminish in direct proportion to how much television you watch.” (John Piper, Pierced by the Word)
