A Heart that Sees

"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." (Matthew 5:8)

There was a lady by the name of Anna Mae Pennica. She was 62, but she was born blind and could not see at all. She was married, had friends and associates that she interacted with regularly. She heard them and imagined what the sounds looked like, but she couldn't see.

A procedure to remove cataracts had been invented about 40 years before she turned 62, so she was just 22 when this surgery became available. However, she was unable to obtain it - either she was unaware of it or lacked access to it for four decades. Even though the solution existed, she didn't experience sight until she was 62.

When the surgeon finally removed those cataracts, she was able to see for the first time in her life. She could see the people she had lived with all those years. She could see her associates; she could see trees. Think of it - for the first time! She said, "I could almost barely sleep because I was so ready to wake up the next morning to be able to see new things." It was an incredible thing.

You know, Anna's story reminds me of our spiritual condition. Just as Anna was physically blind for most of her life, many of us suffer from spiritual blindness. We have eyes but fail to see God's work around us. We miss His presence in our daily lives. We overlook His hand in our circumstances. This spiritual blindness is what Jesus was addressing in the Beatitudes when He said, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God."

This blessing isn't just about seeing God in heaven someday, though that's certainly included. Jesus is telling us that purity of heart enables us to see God right now, in this life. Just as Anna needed her cataracts removed to see the physical world, we need the "cataracts" of sin, selfishness, and worldly distractions removed from our hearts to see God clearly.

So what does Jesus mean when He promises we will see God? There are several ways we can experience this earthly vision:

- Seeing God in nature: Psalm 19:1 declares, "The heavens declare the glory of God; the firmament shows His handiwork." When we observe mountains, oceans, and all creation, we can recognize the Creator behind it all. Romans 1 reminds us that even those who haven't heard the Gospel are accountable for the knowledge of God revealed in creation.

- Seeing God in history: History is "His story"--God's work throughout human events. John Wesley said he enjoyed reading newspapers because he could see what God was doing in the world.

- Seeing God in Jesus: John 1:14 tells us, "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory." Jesus explained to Philip, "He who has seen Me has seen the Father." Jesus is the perfect revelation of God.

- Seeing God in Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:16 says, "All Scripture is God-breathed." The Bible isn't just inspiring literature--it's inspired by God. When we're pure in heart, Scripture opens itself to us in new ways, and we hear God speaking through its pages.

Beyond our earthly experience, there's an eternal promise. Revelation 22:4 says of heaven, "They shall see His face." 1 John 3:2 promises, "We know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is."

This should be the heart hunger of every believer—to one day see God face to face. As 1 Corinthians 13 puts it, "Now we see through a glass, dimly, but then face to face."

If you've never had spiritual "eye surgery," you're like Anna before her operation. The solution exists, but you haven't received it. Just as Anna needed a skilled surgeon to remove her cataracts, you need Jesus to perform spiritual heart surgery.

The Bible says, "If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new" (2 Corinthians 5:17). When you come to Jesus in faith, acknowledging your sin and need for Him, He creates in you a clean heart - one that can truly see.

If you already know Christ, regular spiritual checkups are still necessary. Our hearts can develop new "cataracts" of sin that cloud our vision. First John 1:9 provides the remedy: "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." Daily confession keeps our spiritual vision clear.

Don't wait 40 years like Anna did. The solution for spiritual blindness is available today. Come to Jesus now. Let Him remove whatever is keeping you from seeing God in all His glory. And once you've experienced that miracle of sight, wake up each morning with Anna's excitement, eager to see new things that God is revealing to your newly opened eyes.

Reflection Question: In which areas of your life have you failed to see God due to impurity in your heart?

Heavenly Father, create in me a clean heart. I've been trying to see You while neglecting the condition of my heart. I want to have spiritual eyes that recognize You in all things. Remove whatever is clouding my vision today. I long to see You in nature, in circumstances, in Your Word, and ultimately face to face. Make me pure in heart, Lord, that I might see You clearly. In Jesus' Name, amen.

Adapted from "Do You Want to See God?": https://www.joshfranklin.org/media/9tp8ys8/6-do-you-want-to-see-god