“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” (Matthew 5:8)
“Remember how the LORD your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep His commands.” (Deuteronomy 8:2)
“And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness for forty days…” (Luke 4:1)
“And He withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, saying ‘Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will but yours be done’…and being in agony He prayed more earnestly; and His sweat became like great drops of blood…” (Luke 22:41, 42, 44)
The process to purify a precious metal is interesting and enlightening. Most of us know that once this resource is mined from the ground, it is put into the fire where the impurities are burned away. This is done many times until the metal has been sufficiently “tested” or purified.
Likewise, to become pure in heart is a lifelong process that can, many times, be uncomfortable. Sometimes it will take us into the wilderness where we are humbled and our hearts are tested. Sometimes it can take us to a garden where our resolve to follow the Father’s will is pushed to the limit and it is so intense that we “sweat blood”. Yes, Jesus was constantly being tested…put into the fire…and He was proven to be pure in heart. We should not expect less as His disciples. He stayed focused on doing the Father’s will which was to go to the cross and show His love for you and me. Paul said, “For our sake He made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:21)
“For our sake” Jesus kept His eyes on the Father and followed Him into the wilderness…into the garden…and to the cross. He was found to be pure in heart on all occasions, but it was not easy, even for Him. The Scriptures tell us that Jesus has set the example for us to follow and that includes His resolve during times of testing. Jesus has led the way. That’s why James could say, “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.” (James 1:2)
Keeping our hearts pure is hard work and it is a continual process, but God has promised to be with us and give us the strength we need to get through every test or trial. Today, as you get back to the task of “cleaning” your spiritual house, remember these words of wisdom from Solomon;
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make straight your paths.” (Proverbs 3:5, 6)