For the last few weeks I have been in a small group that has been studying the Beatitudes. Recently we were discussing this verse: “Blessed are the pure in heart for they will see God” (Matt. 5:8). What does it mean to be “pure in heart” and what does it mean to “see God”?
Initially, it brought to mind my blog entry from back in September when I wrote about God speaking to Moses “face to face, as one speaks to a friend” from Exodus. Was Moses pure in heart and that’s why he was able to see God?
Then I also remembered some of my thoughts about weeds in our gardens. How can we be pure in heart with so many weeds trying to distract us? Do we get rid of the weeds once and forever? Or do we pull thorns up as they come up? Does it make a difference?
I realized that it relates to David as well. Acts says that God “testified concerning him: ‘I have found David son of Jesse a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do’” (Acts 13:22). But did he? Didn’t he do many sinful things? In another group we have been looking at 1 Samuel, and our most recent study considered Saul. In chapter 15 Saul was told by God through Samuel to wipe out all the Amalekites: the king, all the men, women, children, and servants, as well as all the animals. Saul chose not to follow through with the exact plan that God told him to do; he chose to alter that plan to fit his own specifications. Saul chose to let the king live and he kept some of the animals alive in order to sacrifice them to God. The main problem with that choice is that he never took responsibility for it. When Samuel confronted Saul, saying “Why did you not obey the Lord? Why did you pounce on the plunder and do evil in the eyes of the Lord?” (15:19) Saul replied, “But I did obey the Lord… I went on the mission the Lord assigned me. I completely destroyed the Amalekites and brought back Agag the king. The soldiers took sheep and cattle from the plunder….” (15:20). Not only did he not take responsibility for not completely obeying the Lord, but he didn’t even recognize that he had been disobedient!
In contrast, David recognized that he had sinned against God, took responsibility for having done wrong, and confessed them to God. In that sense he was pure in heart and he saw God. He recognized God’s movement in his life and in the world, and his relationship with God grew. Look at all the psalms he wrote: ones expressing sorrow over having done wrong (see Psalm 51); ones delighting in the Lord and in his power and mercy (see Psalm 37); and expressing praise and thankfulness (see Psalm 103).
So, pure in heart is not perfection; it is keeping “short accounts” with God, always keeping in touch with him, and letting the Holy Spirit work in your—and my!—spirit to lead us into a closer relationship and desire to follow him.
