February 2, 2006

Seeing God

One of my favorite modern songs has the line, “I want to see You . . . “ expressing the yearning of my heart to see God. When we sing it, I’m thinking about that day when I will see Him face to face, but also thinking of now, how I want to see Him now — at work in my life, in the lives of those I pray for, and in the sin-sick world around us. I want ‘evidence of God’ that is visible, not to prove to me that He exists, but a display of His power and glory, a show of the wonder of our God. I want to see Him high and lifted up, on the throne, sovereign and full of grace.
This morning I read two verses that bring home my part is in seeing God. 2 Samuel 22:27 says, “With the pure You will show Yourself pure. . . .” and Matthew 5:8 echos it, “Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God.”
The invisible God makes Himself known to those whose hearts are pure before Him. Purity means clean, but also set apart for Him, sanctified, wholly dedicated to Him. It means thinking of Him, wanting His name known, hating and rejecting sin and temptation. It means exalting Him even if I don’t see Him, but when I do, giving Him glory, pointing to Him. All attention is on God, none on me or anyone or anything else.
The glimpses I have of God whet my appetite. Lord, how I long to see You. May I long with the same intensity for that purity that will allow me to see You with greater breadth and clarity.

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