1 - Introduction - Living like a real Christian 7 - Blessed are the pure in heart | Page 12

Many of us talk at the point of us wanting God to work in us and through us. Our
heart’s desire is that we should see Him making an impact in our lives and
circumstances, but many of us do not experience the same. In light of this, I believe
it true to say that God is attracted to the pure in heart. In Joshua 3, Joshua
commands the people to consecrate themselves because God wants to do
something great through them. Joshua tells the people, in verse 5, to consecrate
themselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among them. There
seems to be a direct link between them consecrating themselves and God doing
mighty things for them. This principle is totally true as it relates to many other
people in Scripture. My mind goes to the radical turnabout that took place in
Isaiah’s life when, in Isaiah 6, he saw the Lord high and lifted up. His immediate
response was to fall flat on his face and the process of consecration began. At the
end of that consecration experience, his lips had been purified and his vision of God
had been expanded. It was then, and only then, that he was able to respond to God
in such a way that led him to totally abandon himself to the will and purpose of God
the Father. It is people like this who have gone through this consecration experience
that understand what purity of heart is all about.
In Zechariah 13 v 9 God refers to this consecration and draws a comparison
between it and the purifying of gold. Where gold is put in the fire and all of the
rubbish is burnt off and the end product is “pure gold”. God’s consecrating process
is not always a comfortable one, where, as with gold, He has to purify us, and in
order to do that He may need to put us through the fire. I know, that as
uncomfortable as this may sound, it leads us to the most beautiful position which
could possibly exist between a human being and God and that is a pure-hearted
relationship.
Let me leave with one last thought: in II Timothy 2 we have Paul putting this theme
into his own words when he speaks to his young successor, Timothy. He says that in
order to be an instrument of noble purpose for the use of God, it, in and of itself,
needs to be pure. The analogy of the instrument in the kitchen is appropriate. The
intriguing thing about this passage is you get to choose which instrument you want
to be. For those who take seriously the cleansing of God and the desire for purity,
they move from being wood to clay to silver and ultimately to gold. The issue at
stake is the issue of cleanliness. The choice is yours.
See you in church.