Mike Paget and Erica Hamence explore what it means to be "poor in spirit" and how the empty-handed find fullness in the kingdom of God.
Throughout scripture we see God revealed in veiled ways, yet Jesus promises that the "pure in heart" will actually see God.
In today’s video teaching, Rev Bob Mitchell, CEO of Anglican Overseas Aid, explores how when we turn to God, and put our trust in Him, his grace makes us pure and we are invited into a new way of relating with God.
"Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God."
Throughout the Old Testament God always appears in filtered ways: in fire, in cloud, even in a whirlwind. To Moses, as he hid in the cleft of a rock, God warned him: “No one can see my face and live.”
Yet in this Beatitude Jesus promises something radical. The "pure in heart" will actually see God, unfiltered, openly, without shame, knowing him, and being known by him.
At that time God will make his home among his people, He'll be right there with them. He will wipe away every tears from their eyes. There will be no more mourning, or death, or crying, or pain. The relationship will be immediate, direct, unfiltered and truly glorious.
So who then are the pure in heart? Those who turn to God and trust in him. God's always loved us from the beginning. So when we turn to God, God's grace abounds to us. The righteousness that we seek, God's righteousness, is treated as ours when we trust ourselves to him. That's what makes us pure.
Take some time this week to listen to Bob Mitchell's teaching on how the pure in heart see God, then consider how you can respond in your own life. You may want to consider donating to Anglican Overseas Aid as they support churches across the Pacific to prepare for future extreme weather events like cyclones, earthquakes and volcanoes.
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Daily Readings: Mar 14 - Mar 20
This week, we're reflecting on what Jesus says about being "pure in heart" through the following passages:
| Wed, Mar 14 | Matthew 5:8 (our Beatitude for the week) |
| Thur, Mar 15 | Psalm 24:1-6 (Who can come before God?) |
| Fri, Mar 16 | Isaiah 29:13-16 (what might bring pure in heart look like (or not)?) |
| Sat, Mar 17 | Psalm 51:1-20 (What might Jesus be echoing?) |
| Sun, Mar 18 | Matthew 15:1-20 (How did Jesus engage with those concerned about purity?) |
| Mon, Mar 19 | Matthew 10:17-27 (What might challenge or enable our purity of heart?) |
| Tue, Mar 20 | Titus 2:11-14 (How do we become pure hearted?) |
More readings will be provided with our video next Wednesday, March 21st.
Spiritual Practise: Gratitude
A soft and open heart can be cultivated, by actively forming a heart geared towards kindness. Write three things you are grateful for every morning during your devotion for the next seven days. Maybe through writing these down, you'll find God in different ways.
With Your Church: Supporting the Pacific Church
Just as we have freely received God's grace in our lives, so too we freely give to those in need.
Across the Pacific, countries are at-risk when it comes to being able to respond to extreme events like cyclones, earthquakes and volcanoes. Anglican Overseas Aid works with the Church in places like Vanuatu and Solomon Islands, helping communities keep people safe when disaster strikes. We encourage you, either as an individual or with your church, to support their work in the Pacific with a donation to help communities prepare for the future:
Rev Bob Mitchell is the CEO of Anglican Overseas Aid, an international relief and development agency of the Anglican Church of Australia.
This video was filmed by Christian Woodmansey and edited by Scott Sanders, with music licensed from The Brilliance. This series has been produced by Common Grace and Bible Society Australia.
