​June 29

Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God — Matt. 5:8.
 
The thought of "pure in heart" is not perfection of conduct, nor of word, nor of thought, but perfection of intention as respects all of these. Our desire and effort must be for perfection—in thought, word and deed. The standard before us, to which our hearts, wills, must give assent, is the Divine standard, "Be ye perfect, as your Father in heaven is perfect" (Matt. 5:48). God has set no lower standard than this absolute perfection, but He has provided for us grace, mercy and peace through Christ, if we walk in His footsteps, this purity of heart being one of the essential steps in the narrow way—Z '00, 71 (R 2585).
 
Purity of heart means being well-intentioned. This signifies a singleness of purpose to glorify God. It will reduce our conduct to terms of loyalty to God. Such hearts indeed make their possessors joyful, and the possessors of such hearts now see God with the eyes of their understanding, and all the elect will eventually see Him as He really is—P '33, 79, 80.
 
Parallel passages: Psa. 15:2; 19:8; 24:3-5; 51:7; Prov. 21:8; Mal. 3:2, 3; John 15:12; 1 Tim. 1:5; Phil. 4:8; 2 Tim. 2:21, 22; Titus 1:15; 1 Pet. 1:22; 1 John 3:3; 1 Cor. 13:12; 1 John 3:2.

Hymns: 194, 20, 1, 145, 136, 78, 125.
Poems of Dawn, 114: Show Me Thy Face.
Tower Reading: Z '12, 389 (R 5148).

Questions: What have been this week's experiences in line with this text? How were they borne? In what did they result?

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SHOW ME THY FACE

SHOW me Thy face—one transient gleam
Of loveliness Divine,
And I shall never think or dream
Of other love than Thine;
All other lights will darken quite,
All lower glories wane,
The beautiful of earth will scarce
Seem beautiful again.

Show me Thy face—the heaviest cross
Will then seem light to bear,
There will be gain in every loss,
And peace with every care.
With such light feet the years will fleet,
Life seem as brief as blest,
Till I have laid my burden down,
And entered into rest.