“The love and mercy of God are nowhere to be seen with eyes of pride…while a humble, pure heart sees the love of God as an invitation into intimate oneness.”
Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – January 18, 2023
You’re blessed when you get your inside world—your mind and heart—put right. Then you can see God in the outside world. Matthew 5:8, MSG
My reading glasses are easily smudged. It seems…I’m always needing to take the time to find soap and water to gently wash over the lenses with the bubbly liquid and dry them with a paper towel. Sweet…I enjoy the clearest view possible of what I’m trying to read and comprehend. In a similar fashion, my heart, Jesus says, is my lens to see the Lord. Unless my heart has a regular routine of thoroughly removing smudges of sin and the dirty lens of lies washed away by the humble application of soapy truth then I have a very inaccurate view of Christ and His kingdom.
Jesus brings clarity in how to gain a clear view of God…seek to see Him from the view of a surrendered life. The lens of our life is how we see God…a smudged lens of life means a distorted view of God…while a clean lens of life gives a pure perspective into the nature of God. A mind clouded by lies or a heart fooled by pride skew a view of the Lord that reinforces bad behavior with bad thinking. An impure heart justifies impure actions with a distorted view of the nature of God. Jesus reminds us to invite the Spirit to cleanse our spirit, then we can see God.
“Who may climb the mountain of the Lord and enter where he lives? Who may stand before the Lord? Only those with pure hands and hearts, who do not practice dishonesty and lying” (Psalm 24:3-4, TLB).
A heart for God is always on the lookout for the need to be rubbed clean by Christ’s loving presence. Be aware…An ungenerous heart sees a limited God with a scarcity of resources that are rarely accessible…only feeding anxious fear and greedy living. A covetous heart sees an irresponsible God who gives any and everything to satisfy a selfish heart’s desires and indulgences, even when harmful to an individual’s health. A distorted love. A proud heart sees a distant God who is pleased with the high moral standard of a self-righteous life, and who looks down on the inferiority of others. The love and mercy of God are nowhere to be seen with eyes of pride…while a humble, pure heart sees the love of God as an invitation into intimate oneness.
With a pure heart see the pure heart of God’s love for your heart to celebrate His belovedness.
With a pure heart see the pure heart of God’s beautiful holiness for your heart to gladly flee sin.
With a pure heart see the pure heart of God’s limitless forgiveness for your heart to be set free.
With a pure heart see the pure heart of God’s generosity for your heart to grow in gratitude.
With a pure heart see the pure heart of God’s humility for your heart to bow in joyful worship.
The lens of your pure heart is able to look into the heart of your heavenly Father’s love for you!
“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me” (Psalm 51:10, ESV).
Prayer
Heavenly Father, create a clean heart within me, so I am able to see you and the beauty of your love and holiness, through Christ’s love and in Jesus’ name, amen.
Application
Consider a daily routine of asking the Lord to purify your heart and mind with the washing of His Word in contemplative prayer.
Related Reading
Job 33:25-27; Psalm 78:37; John 12:40; Acts 28:27; Ephesians 1:18
Worship Resource
Jeremy Riddle: Purify My Heart
Donate
If you are blessed by these daily devotionals please prayerfully consider a donation to support Wisdom Hunters Resources. We are trusting the Lord for His provision.
Download our app!
