Love that is pure

I recently watched the latest season of Bridgerton, and I have to admit I truly enjoy the beautiful dresses and sets. After finishing watching it I thought about the happy ending and noticed that everything we consider as a happy ending is something that comes from God. For example: There were lies, lust (I skipped the scenes), twisted truths, egoistic behavior, broken relationships and therefore a lot of shame, guilt and hostile actions.
In the end, the happy ending, lies were uncovered, truth was spoken, reconciliation and forgiveness happened in the friendships and relationships, and people got married and had children. Is it not interesting that our hearts yearn for that?

I believe that God has put this yearning for love, peace, truth, kindness and purity into our hearts. Because we are made in his image and our “godly fingerprint” yearns for that. And certainty, purity, serenity, peace, sanity and integrity paint a perfect picture of who Jesus is (adaption from Rick Warren’s spiritual warfare sermons).
But because we are humans we mess up, sin, lie, hold grudges, are being proud and put ourselves in the center, and often behave differently than we wanted, intended to. Also, the way we have dealt with disappointments, losses or hurt can leave visible marks in our hearts and even turn our sadness, or guilt and shame into bitterness, sarcasm, or constant anger issues.
And our hearts may have also become impure not only to what happened to us, but also due to our own actions. In Mark 7, starting from verse 20 Jesus tells us that “It is what comes from inside that defiles you. For from within, out of a person’s heart, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, lustful desires, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness. All these vile things come from within; they are what defile you.”
I can imagine we all have parts in our hearts that defile us. I know I had. And I tried to fix myself, but it was not possible. The bible tells us in Job 14,4: “Who can bring purity out of an impure person? No one!"
But God has provided a solution out of love. He sent Jesus. And he wants us to give him our hearts just as it is.
He wants us to surrender ourselves completely and hold nothing back. Joel 2 verse 12 reminds us: That is why the LORD says, “Turn to me now, while there is time. Give me your hearts. Come with fasting, weeping, and mourning.”
Come as you are and surrender everything to Jesus. Acknowledge that he is Lord and greater than your defiled heart. Thank him for what he has done for you at the cross!
In 1 Corinthians 1, verse 30 Paul writes: “God has united you with Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made him to be wisdom itself. Christ made us right with God; he made us pure and holy, and he freed us from sin.”
It is the blood of Jesus that washes us clean and makes us pure and holy. His sacrifice. And he did that out of love.
And it is just simple faith, as we cannot earn or buy our way into God’s kingdom.
In Romans 10 verse 9-10 it says: “If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved."
And I did that, I openly declared that Jesus is Lord when I got baptized and God has washed me clean. But in the years after that I still messed up. But it is now that I immediately ask God for forgiveness and repent. And I know God’s mercy is anew every morning, so each day is a chance for me to do better and refocus on him. He has transformed my heart, so that I am able to fix my attention on him.

In Matthew 5 verse 8 Jesus tells us: “God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God.”

What an incredible promise! We are to be so close to God, we are to see him. Maybe you ask yourself how pure do I need to be, to be able to see the Lord? The book I am currently reading has a great thought, which I would like to share with you: If Jesus was speaking of purity as a key to seeing God, then it is attainable. He illustrates this by giving the example of gold: when gold is purified, all other elements are being removed and this is a process. And we should do that with our hearts. Remove all the distractions and the dross of life, so we can focus on God. He says the verse is clearer if we read it this way: Happy are those who focus their heart on God, for they will actually see God.

And I agree fully. The more I focus on God, the more I experience with him. And the more I experience with him, the more I want. And this love for him purifies automatically my heart, because I started to filter what I read, watch and hear.
And this truly was a process. To learn what helps focusing on God and to get rid of things in my life that distract me. This is sometimes easy and sometimes harder, because so many things want our attention. But who or what do I prioritize with the resources that I have? With my time, money, energy? What or who is my focus?

In Psalm 86 verse 11 David says: “Teach me your ways, O Lord, that I may live according to your truth! Grant me purity of heart, so that I may honor you.” David knew that life can be hard sometimes and distract us from God, but he also knew he can rely on his Heavenly Father to provide him strength and courage to focus on him and to be obedient.
Psalm 119, verse 9 reads: “How can a young perston stay pure? By obeying your word.” So obeying God’s word helps us to focus on him.
I love how Paul reminds us in Philippians 4, verses 6-8 that we can ask God for help and strength to do so. And he also gives us practical tips how we should phrase our prayers: “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. And now, dear brothers ans sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.”

And that is the reason why I skipped the sex scences in Bridgerton, because I did not want to consume something that might make my thoughts linger on something that might create thoughts which are not honorable, right and pure.

It is because of God’s love for us, and our salvation through Jesus’s death and resurrection that we can experience a love that is not only pure, but a love that purifies us and enables us to see more of God and his goodness in our lives.