Daily Devo - Monday, December 15, 2008

"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God."

Matthew 5:8 (ESV)

In his book A Taste of Heaven, R.C. Sproul gives a story about a guest preacher who was invited to speak at a Presbyterian church on baptism Sunday. Before the service, he was introduced to the parents with infants, and told about a little custom the church had. The leaders instructed him that just before baptism each infant was presented with a white rose.

Guest preacher: "What does the rose symbolize?"
Church leader: "Innocence".
Guest preacher: "In the sacrament, what does water symbolize?"
Church leader: "Purification"
Guest preacher: "Purification from what?"
Church leader: "Well, from sin of course".
Guest preacher: "Then I think there is something your not understanding"

"Pure in heart" doesn't refer to the supposed innocence of infants, nor to the good intentions of kind-hearted adults. To be pure in heart means to be like the Lord Jesus himself. It refers to those who have placed their trust in Christ and genuinely seek to live according to his word and for his glory.

As the apostle John so powerfully reminds us, "Everyone who has hope in him [Christ] purifies himself". Due to our sin, we are born unable to see the radiant glory of God. Sadly, most live their entire lives unable and unwilling to gaze upon his splendor. But to those who have been purified in Christ, they can perceive the very majesty of God.