purification's juicy effect

". . .looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works"  Titus 2:14

 Even if these were the only words a person ever  heard about Jesus, wouldn't the

 IMMENSE LOVE

 expressed in this passage compel them to respond to our amazing Savior?

 

 

What stands between lawless deeds and zealous good works in this verse is purification.

The ongoing, loving purification of the blood of Christ compels me to try to do better.

To put the lawless deeds behind and eagerly, willingly, zealously serve such a

 

 LOVING SAVIOR

 

 

 

with all the good works I can squeeze into my day!

BLESSED ARE THE PURE IN HEART

Jesus includes the condition of having a pure/clean heart in the Beatitudes:

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

Like many Bible verses over the years, my initial understanding of this verse, I think, was not complete or as in depth as it later became. It's that beautiful aspect of the Word being living and active that makes it exciting and rich and meaningful to dig into.

Anyway, I used to assume that the seeing of God here, was after death- in heaven.  But it now occurs to me that we can see  God even while living on this earth. 

David said in Psalm 141:8 my eyes are upon You, O GOD the Lord.

He is also the one who said create in me a clean heart, O GOD in Psalm 51:10.

It seems that a pure heart produces pure vision.

If my heart is full of those selfish little "demons" that like to live there, my spiritual vision is obscured. I can only see through a lens which has become clouded, blurry and warped- God, and all His goodness, is not visible through this lens.

Small children, I believe, have a "clear" lens with which to see GOD. Why? Because they still have pure hearts. 

So. My quest for a completely pure heart so that my ZEAL is renewed brings an added benefit:

SEEING GOD

Not just later, in heaven. But NOW. In this life.

WOW.