Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Matthew 5:8
Waves spilled into the boat and tossed it like a bobber on a fishing line.
A ghost walking towards the boat!
Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.
Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.
Come.
But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” Matthew 14:23-30
Peter got out of the boat and walked toward Jesus. His will? Walk toward Jesus. His eyes fixed on Jesus, he walked on the Sea of Galilee towards His Messiah.
But he turned his eyes onto the storm, and his will changed. His will became, “survive the storm.”
Peter knew that if Jesus told him to step out of the boat, he would be able to walk to Jesus even though there was a storm and only water was under his feet. So Peter stepped out of what men had built to keep him afloat onto the water. Impossible.
Peter walked with purity of heart. Soren Kierkegaard wrote that purity of heart is “to will one thing.”
Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is. And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure. 1 John 3:2-3
In Biblical times, the heart was viewed as the throne of the spirit.
And He [Jesus] said to him, “ ‘YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’ Matthew 22:37
One will.
We live in a busy world that requires much of us. There is the family, the career, the church, the friends, the neighbors, the school, the community, the nation, the world. How do we love God with ALL our heart, soul, and mind … one focus, one will?
Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. James 4:8
God is holy, and anyone who approaches God must be pure in heart. In myself, I’m not pure in heart. I’ve sinned. I’ve not kept God’s commandments, God’s Law.
The Bible tells us that the price of sin is death, Romans 6:23 and that there is no one who does not sin. This death is a physical death and a spiritual death that eternally separates us from God and all that is good and pure, an eternity of darkness and misery that we could never imagine.
Yet, God loved you and me so much that He sent His Son into the world, so that all who would believe in His Son would not suffer this consequence.
Jesus entered the world as a baby, born in poverty and humility. He grew up in a family with brothers and sisters. He learned his earthly father’s trade, carpentry.
In God’s timing, Jesus began His ministry. He healed the sick, gave sight to the blind, raised the dead, walked on water, calmed the sea, performed other miracles, and taught the multitudes.
The world rejected Jesus. My sin, your sin beat Jesus so badly, that He was unrecognizable as a man. My sin, your sin nailed the Son of God to the cross. Jesus took my sin, your sin upon Himself. Jesus paid the price of your sin, my sin, and the sin of the entire world … past, present, and future.
Three days after He died, Jesus rose from the dead. He showed Himself to His disciples and many others. Jesus now sits at the right hand of God, speaking on your behalf, my behalf, and on the behalf of all who believe in Him.
Jesus is the Way to a pure heart … the only Way … and He offers this Way to you and me … His free gift … His everlasting gift. All you and I have to do is accept the gift, trust Him, and let Him begin His good work in you.
Like the Psalmist, tell Jesus,
One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple. Psalm 27:4
My prayer
Jesus, I have sinned. Thank You that You loved me so much that You became a man, that You paid the price for my sin, that You died on the cross, and that You rose from the dead to advocate for me in heaven. I want to follow You. I want You to be my Savior. Please forgive me of my sins. Make my heart pure. I want to live my life for You. I want to see You. I want to behold You and live with You forever. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
If you prayed that prayer, please let me know in the comment section, and I will pray for you and your new walk with Jesus.
May the Lord richly bless you and keep you.
