The Eyes of Your Heart
Week Five
January 26, 2025
Truly God is good to Israel,
to those who are pure in heart.
– Psalm 73:1 (ESV)
God’s concerns are with the heart; he desires nothing less than that he would live freely in every room of our hearts and have access to the core of who we are. While men may look upon the outward person, God looks upon the heart of the person. Others may not care to understand or hear the heart, but God does. The Lord our Creator understands the language of our hearts.
What role does the condition of the heart play in our view of God? This week’s scripture may not be communicating what we see at first glance. We may think that if we keep a heart of purity, God will be good to us, implying that our heart’s condition moves God to show us favor. But, perhaps, if we peer more deeply into this scripture, if we peel back the onion layers of assumption, we will see that what this verse really wants us to understand is that a pure heart allows us to see God for who he really is, how he truly views us, and how good he is to us.
The question this scripture may be prompting us to ask is, do we earn his goodness and favor or simply see and embrace it?
The Lord descended to our level so that we could rise to his and be near to him. He gave everything without expecting anything. The only agenda he had was love. Tell this to the jaded and cynical heart and the response might be, “What do I have to do now?” or, “There must be a catch.” The language of the hurt heart often declares, “Nothing is free, so how can I be completely loved and forgiven?” “Justice demands payment,” they say, “so where is the justice in free gifts for those who don’t deserve them?”
But to the pure heart, to the one with an unspoiled and child-like disposition, the thinking is shifted, and the response is quite different. Gratitude flows, doors are open to receive, and hearts are filled.
So how do our hearts enter this state of innocence?
Above all, we must know this: the forming of our hearts is the work of God, not a result of our meritorious attempts at self-purification. Done in our own resource and strength, this task is both frustrating and futile. We all fail in matters of the heart. But God is merciful, and he offers us tastes of his unearned goodness, often during times of our greatest wandering and failing, to soften our sin-wearied hearts and remind us of the unmerited nature of his grace. Amen. Taste after taste, pour after pour, he continues to offer, passing the plate of his goodness around to us.
Life can be difficult, and loss and pain can condition our hearts, adding scaley layers of hardness that offer a false sense of protection. So, how do we navigate life’s disappointments and regrets? Well, we can either run to him or away from him; our hearts will know no middle ground. We all grow weary, and our hearts may fail, but even in this, God is good; he restores and heals. God is near; Jesus weeps with us. And his goodness reaches even to the depths of our heart’s desperation.
May the eyes of our hearts be always open to see him for who he truly is: a good God, good to us.
Monday
January 27, 2025
And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
– Hebrews 4:13 (ESV)
We know it. It’s clear. It’s a fact. God sees all. “Obviously!”, we might be inclined to say. “I believe that,” we concur. Yet on most days, this elusive truth remains absent from the forefront of our consciousness. Still, God sees all and God knows all; God would be less than God were this not true. This may make us feel vulnerable; it might frighten those of us who shy away from intimacy. But we need not fear. I invite you to take encouragement from the words of a song written by my daughter Heidi, “I’m fully known and deeply loved by you my Savior, my King.” ¹ The one who knows you best wants you most.
Does it frighten you or put you on edge to know that God knows you completely and fully? What are some of the thoughts that go through your mind as you ponder this?
How do we put our souls to rest in light of the truth that God knows you completely? Can you think of an earthly example that may help you come to terms with this truth better?
Tuesday
January 28, 2025
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
– Matthew 5:8 (NASB)
God makes this promise to us: the pure in heart will see him for who he truly is. But we are in a conundrum. No one can purify their own heart. This is a work of God that we must submit to. And even in our submission, we need his wisdom and the power of his Spirit to effectively navigate his process. And so, we are invited to come and pray - to pray for the wisdom which God grants freely and to receive his Holy Spirit whom he gives to those who ask.
When you think of a pure heart, what comes to mind? What defines or characterizes purity of heart?
How are we blessed in seeing God? How are others blessed in our seeing?
Wednesday
January 29, 2025
I remain confident of this:
I will see the goodness of the Lord
in the land of the living.
– Psalm 27:13 (NIV)
We have one life, and in this life, we are encouraged to recall and acknowledge his goodness to us. Some of us have seen the Lord’s deliverance from death. Some of us have known the greatness of his forgiveness against the backdrop of our sinfulness. Others of us have known him to work all things out for our good. And those of us who have walked with him for a good length of time know his repeated blessing in our lives. Lord, cause us to see your goodness. May we never miss it or be blind to it.
What are some of the ways God has been good to you? Can you recount them now?
How can you strengthen your confidence in God’s goodness during times of difficulty? Where does trust come into play?
Thursday
January 30, 2025
Taste and see that the Lord is good;
blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.
– Psalm 34:8 (NIV)
The goodness of God is shown foremost in the giving of the gift of his Son, Jesus Christ. We are invited to partake in this depth of love and know the soul drenching satisfaction of embracing God’s good offer. This invitation to taste and see is open to every willing heart. Jesus said that anyone who has seen him has seen the Father. We see the goodness of God in the face of Christ — in the deep gazing eyes, in the knowing and compassionate grin, by the thorn-crowned commitment of a loving Savior. His nail scarred, outspread hands, show us how far he was willing to go to have us with him.
What is the connection between seeing God’s goodness and taking refuge in him? How is sight related to trust?
What is one way you have tasted of the Lord’s goodness? What impact did this experience have on your understanding of him?
Friday
January 31, 2025
With the merciful you show yourself merciful;
with the blameless man you show yourself blameless;
with the purified you show yourself pure;
and with the crooked you make yourself seem tortuous.
– Psalm 18:25-26 (ESV)
The condition of our heart affects the way we view ourselves, others, and even God. A pure heart will see God as guileless and well-intentioned, while a jaded and cynical heart battered by the ups and downs of situation and circumstance will tend to view God with mistrust and caution. Our heart’s outlook affects every aspect of our lives. Lord, give us hearts free from blame shifting and prideful attitudes. May we humbly hold near to our hearts the words of Job, “Blessed be the name of the Lord.”
What is your heart’s tendency? Does it lean more towards a negative view or positive view of people? Does this possibly say anything about your view of God?
How do you think God views you in general? Is he smiling or frowning when he looks at you? Is your perception accurate?