“Just follow your heart!” We’re sometimes encouraged to do this when we have to make a tough decision, and we tend to base our decision on what feels best at the moment.
Often we confuse “heart” with emotion or sentiment. So when Jesus invites us to treasure a pure heart as a quality of life in the kingdom of God, we may not immediately grasp what he is saying.
In the Bible, the heart is the center of one’s being. It’s where the will, intellect, and emotions intersect. What we value in our heart sets the course for how we live our life—how we spend our money, form relationships, and make decisions. The condition of our heart is immensely important!
A person with a pure heart is one who is undefiled by sin. The Bible tells us that only those who have no sin in their heart are fit for God’s presence. That would be cause for despair, but the Bible also assures us that no one except Jesus has a pure heart. His life was perfect in every way, and yet for our sake he was willingly banished from God’s sight, as if he had an impure and imperfect heart.
If you believe the gospel, you are cleansed from your sin and impurity, and you receive the gift of a pure heart. If you are in Christ, one day you will see God!
Holy God, when we search our hearts, we are painfully aware of our impurity. We rejoice in the purity of Jesus. Confident in what he has done for us, we long to see you face to face. Amen.
About the author — Rob Toornstra
Rob Toornstra has served as pastor of Sunnyslope Christian Reformed Church in Salem, Oregon, since 2006. When not busy with pastoral duties, he enjoys spending time with his wife, Amy, and their three children.
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