WEEK 1, DAY 3: PURITY
Scripture Reference: Mark 3:20-30
My face burned with the hot fire of being found out, certain my sin was glowing over my head. Here I was, in the middle of a youth meeting, hearing I had broken the heart of God by giving my heart to a boy. I felt helplessly condemned.
As a result, my misguided thoughts on the purity God led to years of hiding in shame and missing out on a beautiful relationship. Not only with God but with those around me.
I didn’t realize the purity God desires is life giving. The heart of God longs for us to live a life that is holy and free from evil and the painful effects of its ways. Purity should be our ultimate goal as we pursue God, but I offer that it is because of the effect it has on our relationship with God when we have purity of heart, soul, and mind.
Psalm 24:3-4: Who may ascend the hill of the LORD? Who may stand in his holy place? The one who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not trust in an idol or swear by a false god.
Do you know why we would even want to climb the hill and meet with God? You and I are created to worship; this beautiful dance of creation reveling in and proclaiming the Creator. However, when sin entered the world, that relationship broke. Therefore, we’ve fashioned idol after idol to try to find a god we could appease.
Return to Purity
God calls us to return to the purity of walking in relationship with Him, with nothing in our hands that could keep us from holding His, and with an openness in our hearts to receive all He is waiting to give. How do we do this?
Philippians 1:9-11: And this is my prayer, that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ – to the glory and praise of God.
In the Methodist tradition, we talk about “staying in love with God”. Remembering we’re in a real, present, active relationship with the Maker of heaven and earth. Which encourages us to evaluate our choices. Thanks to the life, death and Resurrection of Jesus, we are no longer bound to a life of self preservation. We are free to love and live loved.
Resting in the perfect love of Jesus keeps us from wounding others to get our needs met. Living life in God’s presence keeps us from chasing after life sucking entertainment. It’s the chasing that hurts our souls and the relationships with those around us.
Most importantly, today, we can lean into the reality that when we’ve identified ourselves with Christ, we are made a new creation. We get the opportunity to live pure and blameless and walk close with God, which is the heart of God for His children.
—Martha Christian, SOKY Worship Community & Broadway UMC
Take time to contemplate:
- Think of one area of your life where you can pursue purity of heart, soul, and mind. Invite the Holy Spirit to help.
- How would a clear conscience and a forgiven heart change your interactions with others?
Pray:
Lord, you are perfect in all of your ways and your desire for us is that we would turn from our imperfect ways and rest in yours. Forgive us for the ways we try to keep ourselves far from you. Help us to live lives pure and blameless for the sake of your Name. Amen
