The Pure In Heart

The Pure In Heart

"Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God".  I have read that scripture many, many times as I am sure you have as well. I have heard it preached more times than I can remember.  My picture of what that verse meant and what it means to me today is two completely different places.

Before, I think I saw that verse as an individual. You know, that person that is contrite and humble.  They are soft spoken and when they speak all listen. Some of those things that I will never be able to do. One of them is being quiet. For some reason being quiet is not my strong suit.  But that is how I viewed that verse.

 I love word of God. You can read it over and over and over.  The words seem to be ever living, ever breathing, always a word of life to my soul. I can read a book and never pick it up again because I know what happens, I know the plot and the outcome.  But the Bible, I know the stories, I know a lot of the outcomes but it is like water to a thirsty soul. I want to read it again and again. Each time I turn the pages and  breath in I see a whole new depth to the words that have been written. My perspective changes, my heart changes and I have new strength to carry me.

A couple of mornings ago is when I saw this verse again. I had opened an old journal of  mine. I do that sometimes to remind myself of the things God has done for me and how He has answered His promises to me.  The very first page is worn and the binding is quite broken on the journal. I start reading through those pages of years ago and I see a picture of myself. I hear myself talking through the prayers and outpouring of my heart to God.  As I read I can even overlay the changes that have come about in my heart since that time.

On one of the pages I had written "God you keep speaking to me about your outpouring of love but all I see is that I am on this earth to suffer.  I am trying to see you in all that is happening but the suffering is so hard to walk through" I wrote this, not in the last two years but in 2005.  Before so much else was going to happen.

 Why is that so important?  Because you know how I started out with "for the pure in heart will see God".  I finally got it this morning.  Suffering is a part of the world but it is also a purification process. I say all the time that trials are like pressure to put your heart in a fired up crucible and allowing the dross to come up so you can clean out the "junk" that resides there.  Crucibles are used to heat gold and silver and such.  The heat purifies the mineral so that only the pure form remains. The trash and other items that have melded together with the mineral are taken out as dross as it gets hotter and hotter. They float to the top and is cleared off.  This process happens over and over until only the pure mineral remains.

Sometimes we don't see the "junk" in our heart. Sometimes our friends or family don't see the "junk".  But God sees the junk and wants to get rid of it in our lives.  For me, it has been so many trials I can't list them all.  Olivia's issues being a major part. But as I read that verse today I see those trials not as suffering anymore.  I see them as a place to conquer. Because that purification process allows me to get a glimpse of God. Each trial fires up that crucible. I decide if I am going to see the "junk" and clean it out. But if I face myself and look into that crucible the Holy Spirit will help me clean it out. When I get it cleaned out I can see a glimpse of God and what He is doing in my life.  If only just a glimpse. Then instead of "suffering" I can praise Him. Because He does know my heart and He knows what I need and His purposes are higher than mine. I can see those things that truly are more important than my pity party.  I only have to listen to the Holy Spirit and allow Him to help me become pure in heart.  What a revelation.  That verse is not set aside just for someone else.  That verse is not unattainable.  That verse is just about something we do as naturally as breathing.  We put our life in God's Hands and we get to know Him. In knowing Him it happens to be a natural process of love.

 I am not totally "pure in my heart" but I am working each and every day to get there because just that small glimpse of Him is worth whatever I have to face in myself to get there.