Psalm 18:25-26a
25 With the merciful you show yourself merciful; with the blameless man you show yourself blameless; 26 with the purified you show yourself pure…
Mercy is an attribute of God, so whenever we strive to be merciful to others we are aligning ourselves with Him. The same goes for the pursuit of purity, which results in blamelessness. Notice I didn’t say you would attain purity and blamelessness in this life, that will only happen when Jesus returns and the “perfect has come.” But as we learned in Psalm 17, the pursuit of perfection in Christ should become your heart’s desire. Ephesians 2:8 tells us we are God’s workmanship, created in Jesus Christ for good works. Jesus was perfect and our quest as His followers is to be like him to the very best of our ability, and when we inevitably fall short this side of heaven, we can rely on the power of the Holy Spirit to bridge the gap.
Jesus gave us instruction on holy living in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5:7-8. His promise is that the merciful shall receive mercy, and the pure in heart shall receive God. It’s a humbling thought to realize that no one is worthy of God’s mercy. Our sinful ways deserve the wrath of God, and yet mercy is extended to those who ask for it. Blamelessness is for those who pursue holiness, and purity for those who desire to remain upright in the eyes of God.
Here is a beautiful thought: God acknowledges how difficult it can be to pursue holy living, so He promises a heavenly reward for those who accept the challenge of grasping for it. What is that reward, you ask? In heaven, you will see God and perfection will become a reality!
Heavenly Father, you are the example that I want to follow in my life. Give me your ability to show mercy, wisdom to be blameless, and will to remain pure. I want to see You! Amen.
Josh Huisman is the senior pastor of New Hope Community Church in Brentwood, TN.
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