See Not

Yep, that’s the same picture as yesterday’s “See What?” because this is a ‘continuation’ of thoughts from our Ladies Meeting.

I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me. (Psalms 101:3 KJV)

David learned a very hard lesson, and shared with us how to keep from learning it ourselves.

And it came to pass in an eveningtide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king's house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon. (2 Samuel 11:2 KJV)

She was beautiful.  What was the harm in looking? Death, after lies to a good man and intrigue against a loyal soldier. Harm that began simply by looking.  By setting a wicked thing before mine eyes.

Well, there are plenty of wicked things out there right now.  We invite them into our home through the internet, through television, through our workplaces. Parents allow it for their children, unable or unwilling to say “No,” and mean it.

I’m three generations away from raising my own children.  Their children are raising children of their own. I do worry about those as they face peer pressure to partake of off-color jokes (yes, I’ve heard one from an innocent, who really didn’t understand the punch line.) I feel for the new babes in Christ, seeking to learn their Bible, hearing “Honor thy father and thy mother,” while seeing them not honor their God.  I know they are torn as wicked things are set before them.

What do I mean by ‘wicked things’? Anything that keeps us from that pure heart that allows us to see God.  Remember yesterday’s verse:

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

How do we get that pureness back after having wicked things before our eyes?

Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. (Psalms 51:10 KJV)

Then we can see God as He is.

Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. (1 John 3:2 KJV)

The following verse contains the result of our hope – purity:

And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. (1 John 3:3 KJV)

Matthew 5:8, above, tells us that the pure in heart shall see God. This verse tells us who will not:

Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. (John 3:3 KJV)

Thus the Bible-based phrase, “a born again Christian.” Unless we throw out the whole book of John, we must face his third chapter. We can ask, as Nicodemus did:

How can these things be? (John 3:9 KJV)

But be ready to act on the answer when it is heard.

He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. (John 3:18 KJV)

Ready for that purification process in order to see God?