Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. – Matthew 5:8

Of all the beatitudes, this one means the most to me right now.  I have written a book about the beatitudes.  I promise it will eventually be published.  For some reason, I’m afraid to release it until someone checks over my work.  I have found someone who will do it next month.  So, for about the third year in a row, I’m saying it will be available next year.  We will see.

Lately, I have seen God quite a bit.  I saw Him shine ever so brightly through kids at a chorus concert.  I saw Him in an angry person deliberately restraining themselves and removing themselves from a situation.  I saw Him through a woman with hands raised singing “How Great is Our God” who has lost so much so recently in her life. When I talked with her about it, she just beamed of God and boasted of how good He was and is through it all.  It is so amazing how my instinct is to cry when I see Him.  I used to be the last person to cry.  It simply feels like I’m so overwhelmed that I can’t take it.  It is quite literally the best feeling in the world.

On the flip side, sin is making me sicker a lot faster.  When I first got saved, gross sins wouldn’t bother me that much.  Sure, when the Holy Spirit was thick in one of those old school Church of God services, I’d feel super convicted.  But out in the world, my sin just didn’t seem like that big of a deal.  Now I’m calling things sin that I never would have called sin years ago.  I get so convicted.  I just want to run to be alone with God and tell Him everything and plead with Him to make things right.  I always find that He isn’t interested in my pleading.  He simply forgives me and ever so kindly shows me where that particular path of sin leads and lets me know why He doesn’t want me on it.  I can’t tell you how much this makes me love Him even more.  It makes me want my heart to be so pure so I can see Him more and more.

I’m amazed that God lets me see Him so often.  I’m so aware of how unworthy I am right now.  I have so many issues right now that seem impossible to conquer.  But then I think sometimes if all my issues were conquered, I just might become the older brother to the prodigal son thinking my father isn’t doing anything for me and refusing to celebrate when my lost brother comes home.  I might become a Pharisee who looks down on everyone and acts way more spiritual than he is.  I might live my life appearing to be a Christian, but not really knowing Him at all.  

Lord, I just want to know You.  I want to love You with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength.  I confess that I don’t really know how.  I just know that when I spend time with You, I wonder why I ever do anything else.  Yet when I’m doing anything and everything else, it is so easy to put You on the backburner and forget about You.  I do know that in this moment, right here and right now, I cannot thank You enough for all that You have done for me and through me over the course of my life.  You are quite literally the best thing this life offers.  Please help me to never forget.  I hate how easy it is to forget.  Lead me safely home, Jesus.  I see You in people, situations, places, and things right now.  But one day . . . one day . . . my faith will become sight and I will see You for real.  Help me be patient.  Help me be about Your work.  Most of all, help me be pure, for I want to see You as often as I can.  Amen