Love God Greatly: BeatitudesSample

The temple on the "hill of the Lord," Zion was not an open public place. The leaders of the temple were commissioned with restricting access to those with "clean hands and a pure heart." In other words, both your actions and your conscience needed to be clear. The holy place where God dwelled close to His people was especially restricted, and the psalmist celebrates that God has high standards for receiving people and blessing them. 

While the people of Israel needed sacrifices to guarantee their cleanliness and their access to the temple, we can celebrate that the ultimate sacrifice guaranteed our free and open access to the presence of God. The clean hands and pure heart are still required but as the result of the free gift of grace. We can rejoice both in God's holiness that sets such high standards and in His grace that purifies our hearts and gives us undeserved access to His presence. 

Thank You, God, that You are holy and righteous. Forgive me, Lord, for all the ways I have sinned and lifted up my soul to what is false. Give me clean hands and a pure heart, and continue to shape me into someone who looks more like Your Son.